


Gods and Demigods Read Their Stories

by PBlack2019



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 19:40:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 38,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16708795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PBlack2019/pseuds/PBlack2019
Summary: The Fates have decided that the gods of the past need to see the future, so they decide to send nine Demigods back to the Winter Solstice 1998 to read several books.This is gifted to Archive user YaBoiLance17, who gave me the lovely character Luca. Aka the loveable trash asshole.





	1. I Drive My Dog Into A Tree

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yaboiLance17](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yaboiLance17/gifts).



OLYMPUS – December 21, 1998

 

It was the Winter Solstice, and all through Olympus voices were ringing.

 “Mother Rhea loves me best!”

“No, she does not!”

“Would you stop flirting with my hunters!”

“But sis! They’re hot!”

“You need more cereal!”

“Mother!”

“Shut up, you insufferable woman!”

 

And on and on, until suddenly, a bright flash of light lit the room. When the light cleared nine people stood there, staring at the gods angrily.

“What do you need this time?” One of the boys asked.

"What exactly do you mean, boy? We didn’t call you here.” Artemis glared at them, and all of the teens looked at her weirdly.

“My Lady,” one of the girls stepped forward. “You don’t recognize us?”

“Thalia?” Zeus gasped, looking at her in shock.

“Wait, what year is it?” Another one of the girls asked this one had curly blond hair and grey eyes.

“It is the year 1998. May I ask why you needed to ask that?” Athena answered, suspiciously.

“We’re from 2011…” She looked at the rest of the group in worry.

Suddenly, a globe of light appeared in the center of the room.

 _“Demigods, and Gods of Olympus.”_ Three raspy voices chorused.

“The Fates.” Athena looked at the sphere in shock.

 _“We have brought you here to see the future, so that you may make things a little better before they get worse. You will be reading of the Battle of Manhattan. All Demigods introduce themselves.”_ The globe faded, and hanging in mid-air was a leather-bound book. Annabeth approached it and grabbed it out of the air.

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian,” She read before handing it to Athena.

“Well, I suppose you should introduce yourselves.” Hades glared at them from his seat next to Hestia.

“I’ll go first since all of you already know who I am,” Thalia shrugged. “Thalia Grace, Daughter of Zeus, Lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis.” She bowed to Artemis.

“How are you alive?” Zeus asked the same moment that Artemis asked: “What happened to Zoë?”

“It’s a long story,” Thalia said. “For both of them. And, don’t question any of the odd titles you hear.” She stepped back into the line of Demigods.

“Annabeth Chase, Daughter of Athena, Head Architect of Olympus.” Athena looked like she wanted to question the last title, but she refrained.

“Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades. And no, I was born before the oath was made. I’m the Ghost King and Prince of Shadows.” Hades looked at him in shock before giving him a small smile, which Nico returned, though a bit hesitantly.

“What-“

“It’s complicated,” the Demigods chorused.

“Naiche Cypress, son of Hecate. Mystiokinetic, Ghost Queen.” Hades looked at him in shock and confusion, and he grinned. “Well, I suppose it would technically be Ghost King, but Nico has the main title, I just stole some of his duties. We’re not actually in a relationship.” Nico rolled his eyes.

“He’s an annoying brother, if anything.” Naiche grinned at him. “I also use magic, as befitting a son of Hecate.” He stepped back and Will stepped forward.

“Will Solace, son of Apollo. Light Wielder.” Will grinned and gave himself a mustache. Apollo grinned and winked at him. “Nico Di Angelo’s boyfriend.” Nico turned scarlet and glared at will as the other male grinned. Both Apollo and Hades looked shocked.

“Luca Lee Ward, Son of Thanatos. I can control the Death Force, and I am dating Naiche.” Luca gave a sarcastic wave.

“It’s been a while since Thanatos has sired a child.” Hades looked at him.

“Don’t ask me, I wasn’t alive.” Luca snarked at the god.

“Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. Aquakinetic.” He grinned at his father.

“Poseidon! You broke the oath!” Zeus yelled.

“Hey! The only one who can get angry is Lord Hades, as he’s the only one who didn’t break his oath!” Poseidon looked at Percy in shock before shrugging.

“He speaks the truth, brother.”

“Can we start reading? Please?” Annabeth sighed, and Athena nodded. All of the gods shrunk down to human size. Poseidon waved his hand, causing several couches to appear. The Demigods all sat down, and Athena opened the book up.

“Chapter One, I Drive My Dog Into a Tree.” 

**Mrs. O'Leary saw me before I saw her, which was a pretty good trick considering she's the size of a garbage truck. I walked into the arena, and a wall of darkness slammed into me.**

“The size of a truck?” Poseidon looked at them confused, but Athena continued reading.

**"WOOF!" The next thing I knew I was flat on the ground with a huge paw on my chest and an oversize Brillopad tongue licking my face.**

**"Ow!" I said. "Hey, girl. Good to see you too. Ow!"**

**It took a few minutes for Mrs. O'Leary to calm down and get off me. By then I was pretty much drenched in dog drool. She wanted to play fetch, so I picked up a bronze shield and tossed it across the arena.**

**By the way, Mrs. O'Leary is the world's only friendly hellhound. I kind of inherited her when her previous owner died. She lived at camp, but Beckendorf . . . well, Beckendorf used to take care of her whenever I was gone. He had smelted Mrs. O'Leary's favorite bronze chewing bone. He'd forged her collar with the little smiley face and a crossbones name tag. Next to me, Beckendorf had been her best friend.**

“Beckendorf?” Hephaestus asked, and Percy nodded sadly.

“Your son, yes. He died earlier that day.”

**Thinking about that made me sad all over again, but I threw the shield a few more times because Mrs. O'Leary insisted.**

**Soon she started barking—a sound slightly louder than an artillery gun—like she needed to go for a walk. The other campers didn't think it was funny when she went to the bathroom in the arena. It had caused more than one unfortunate slip-and-slide accident. So, I opened the gates of the arena, and she bounded straight toward the woods.**

**I jogged after her, not too concerned that she was getting ahead. Nothing in the woods could threaten Mrs. O'Leary. Even the dragons and giant scorpions ran away when she came close.**

“Hellhounds are creatures of the Underworld, they wouldn’t mess with her,” Hades commented at the confused looked.

 **When I finally tracked her down, she wasn't using the facilities. She was in a familiar clearing where the Council of Cloven Elders had once put Grover on trial. The place didn't look so good. The grass had turned yellow. The three topiary thrones had lost all their leaves. But that's not what surprised me. In the middle of the glade stood the weirdest trio I'd ever seen: Juniper the tree nymph, Nico di Angelo, and a very old, very fat satyr.**

**Nico was the only one who didn't seem freaked out by Mrs. O'Leary's appearance. He looked pretty much like I'd seen him in my dream—an aviator's jacket, black jeans, and a T-shirt with dancing skeletons on it, like one of those Day of the Dead pictures. His Stygian iron sword hung at his side. He was only twelve, but he looked much older and sadder.**

“Do you still have that sword?” Percy turned to Nico.

“Nah, I gave it to Luca after my dad gave me the one I have now.” Luca nodded and tapped it.

Percy nodded. “I’m glad the sword is getting some use, after everything we did to get it back.”

Thalia snorted. “I still can’t believe that ‘Family Issues’ for you is Persephone turning you into a tree!” She grinned as Nico turned red and everyone started blushing

“That sounds about right,” Hades muttered.

**He nodded when he saw me, then went back to scratching Mrs. O'Leary's ears. Mrs. O'Leary sniffed Nico's legs like he was the most interesting thing since rib-eye steaks. Being the son of Hades, he'd probably been traveling in all sorts of hellhound-friendly places.**

**The old satyr didn't look nearly so happy. "Will someone—what is this underworld creature doing in my forest!" He waved his arms and trotted on his hooves as if the grass were hot. "You there, Percy Jackson! Is this your beast?"**

**"Sorry, Leneus," I said. "That's your name, right?" The satyr rolled his eyes. His fur was dust-bunny gray, and a spider web grew between his horns. His belly would've made him an invincible bumper car.**

**"Well, of course, I'm Leneus. Don't tell me you've forgotten a member of the Council so quickly. Now, call off your beast!"**

**"WOOF!" Mrs. O'Leary said happily. The old satyr gulped.**

Everyone was grinning at his discomfort.

**"Make it go away! Juniper, I will not help you under these circumstances!" Juniper turned toward me. She was pretty in a dryad-y way, with her purple gossamer dress and her elfish face, but her eyes were green-tinted with chlorophyll from crying.**

**"Percy," she sniffled. "I was just asking about Grover. I know something's happened. He wouldn't stay gone this long if he wasn't in trouble. I was hoping that Leneus—"**  

**"I told you!" the satyr protested. "You are better off without that traitor." Juniper stamped her foot.**

**"He is not a traitor! He's the bravest satyr ever, and I want to know where he is!"**  

“This Grover… He wouldn’t happen to be the one who got my daughter killed, would he?” All of the Demigods glared at him.

“He didn’t get me killed! I sacrificed myself!” Thalia yelled, sparks flying off of her.

“Thals!” Naiche yelled. “Chill! Your dads a dick, we know! But what he thinks about Grover doesn’t matter, we all know he’s the best Satyr there is. I mean, what other Satyr found all of children of the Big Three, and Pan himself!”

Luca nodded in agreement. “Naiche’s right. And don’t even try to protest, Zeus, you really are a dick.” The son of Thanatos gave a sarcastic grin but calmed down as Naiche laced their fingers together.

“He found Pan?” Hermes asked hopefully, even Dionysus looked up from his magazine.

“Keep reading, Lady Athena.” Percy looked at the god sadly.

**"WOOF!"**

**Leneus's knees started knocking.  "I . . . I won't answer questions with this hellhound sniffing my tail!" Nico looked like he was trying to not crack up.**

“Nico, laughing before he and Will got together?” Naiche grinned. “It’s a miracle!” Nico rolled his eyes and shoved the dark-skinned boy

**"I’ll walk the dog," he volunteered. He whistled, and Mrs. O'Leary bounded after him to the far end of the grove.**

**Leneus huffed indignantly and brushed the twigs off his shirt. "Now, as I was trying to explain, young lady, your boyfriend has not sent any reports since we voted him into exile."**

**"You tried to vote him into exile," I corrected. "Chiron and Dionysus stopped you."**

**"Bah! They are honorary Council members. It wasn't a proper vote."**

**"I'll tell Dionysus you said that." Leneus paled.**

Dionysus rolled his eyes from behind his magazine.

**"I only meant . . . Now see here, Jackson. This is none of your business."**

**"Grover's my friend," I said. "He wasn't lying to you about Pan's death. I saw it myself. You were just too scared to accept the truth."**

Hermes let out a mournful sound, and Apollo put a hand on his shoulder, even Hades looked sympathetic.

**Leneus's lips quivered. "No! Grover's a liar and good riddance. We're better off without him."**

**I pointed at the withered thrones. "If things are going so well, where are your friends? Looks like your Council hasn't been meeting lately."**

**"Maron and Silenus . . . I . . . I'm sure they'll be back," he said, but I could hear the panic in his voice. "They're just taking some time off to think. It's been a very unsettling year."**

**"It's going to get a lot more unsettling," I promised.  "Leneus, we** **_need_ ** **Grover. There's got to be a way you can find him with your magic." The old satyr's eye twitched.**

**"I'm telling you, I've heard nothing. Perhaps he's dead." Juniper choked back a sob.**

**"He's not dead," I said. "I can feel that much."**  

**"Empathy links," Leneus said disdainfully. "Very unreliable."**

**"So ask around," I insisted. "Find him. There's a war coming. Grover was preparing the nature spirits."**

**"Without my permission! And it's not our war."**

**I grabbed him by the shirt, which seriously wasn't like me, but the stupid old goat was making me mad. "Listen, Leneus. When Kronos attacks, he's going to have packs of hellhounds. He's going to destroy everything in his path—mortals, gods, demigods. Do you think he'll let the satyrs go free? You're supposed to be a leader. So LEAD. Get out there and see what's happening. Find Grover and bring Juniper some news. Now, GO!"**

All of the gods froze.

“Kronos is going to attack? He is truly going to come out of the Pit?” Zeus asked, and the Demigods nodded. Athena continued reading, ignoring the worry of all of the other gods.

**I didn't push him very hard, but he was kind of top-heavy. He fell on his furry rump, then scrambled to his hooves and ran away with his belly jiggling. "Grover will never be accepted! He will die an outcast!"**

All of the Demigods snarled.

**When he'd disappeared into the bushes, Juniper wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry, Percy. I didn't mean to get you involved. Leneus is still a Lord of the Wild. You don't want to make an enemy of him."**

**"No problem," I said. "I've got worse enemies than overweight satyrs."**

**Nico walked back to us. "Good job, Percy. Judging from the trail of goat pellets, I'd say you shook him up pretty well." I was afraid I knew why Nico was here, but I tried for a smile.**

**"Welcome back. Did you come by just to see Juniper?"**

**He blushed. "Um, no. That was an accident. I kind of . . . dropped into the middle of their conversation."**

**"He scared us to death!" Juniper said. "Right out of the shadows. But, Nico, you** **_are_ ** **the son of Hades and all. Are you sure you haven't heard anything about Grover?" Nico shifted his weight.**

**"Juniper, like I tried to tell you . . . even if Grover died, he would reincarnate into something else in nature. I can't sense things like that, only mortal souls."**

**"But if you do hear anything?" she pleaded, putting her hand on his arm. "Anything at all?"**

**Nico's cheeks got even brighter red. "Uh, you bet. I'll keep my ears open."**

Will turned to him and raised an eyebrow, but Nico just shoved him.

“Shut up, I was twelve and an idiot, don’t forget. I also had a crush on Percy. Of all people. _Percy.”_

Percy gasped in indignation. “What is that supposed to mean!” Nico just sent a smirk in the direction of his cousin.

**"We'll find him, Juniper," I promised. "Grover's alive, I'm sure. There must be a simple reason why he hasn't contacted us." She nodded glumly.**

**"I hate not being able to leave the forest. He could be anywhere, and I'm stuck here waiting. Oh, if that silly goat has gotten himself hurt—"**

**Mrs. O'Leary bounded back over and took an interest in Juniper's dress. Juniper yelped.**

**"Oh, no you don't! I know about dogs and trees. I'm gone!" She went poof into green mist. Mrs. O'Leary looked disappointed, but she lumbered off to find another target, leaving Nico and me alone.**

**Nico tapped his sword on the ground. A tiny mound of animal bones erupted from the dirt. They knit themselves together into a skeletal field mouse and scampered off.**

**"I was sorry to hear about Beckendorf." A lump formed in my throat.**

**"How did you—"**

**"I talked to his ghost."**

**"Oh . . . right." I'd never get used to the fact that this twelve-year-old kid spent more time talking with the dead than the living. "Did he say anything?"**

“That wasn’t healthy, Nico.” Luca commented, and Naiche looked at him, skeptical.

“Luca, when I met you, other than your mother, that was all you hung out with.” Luca sent him a glare.

“No, it wasn’t.”

“Yes, it was. I remember the names of the ghosts you introduced me to. Connor and Mara.” Luca glared and sent a small blast of the death force at him, rolling his eyes when Naiche blocked it with a shield.

**"He doesn't blame you. He figured you'd be beating yourself up, and he said you shouldn't."**

**"Is he going to try for rebirth?" Nico shook his head. "He's staying in Elysium. Said he's waiting for someone. Not sure what he meant, but he seems okay with death."**

**It wasn't much comfort, but it was something.**

**"I had a vision you were on Mount Tarn," I told Nico. "Was that—"**

**"Real," he said. "I didn't mean to be spying on the Titans, but I was in the neighborhood."**

**"Doing what?"**

**Nico tugged at his sword belt. "Following a lead on . . . you know, my family."**

**I nodded. I knew his past was a painful subject. Until two years ago, he and his sister Bianca had been frozen in time at a place called the Lotus Hotel and Casino. They'd been there for like seventy years. Eventually a mysterious lawyer rescued them and checked them into a boarding school, but Nico had no memories of his life before the casino. He didn't know anything about his mother. He didn't know who the lawyer was, or why they'd been frozen in time or allowed to go free. After Bianca died and left Nico alone, he'd been obsessed with finding answers.**

Will squeezed Nico’s hand comfortingly, as many of the gods and goddesses looked at him in sympathy.

 **"So how did it go?" I asked. "Any luck?"**

**"No," he murmured. "But I may have a new lead soon."**

**"What's the lead?"**

**Nico chewed his lip. "That's not important right now. You know why I'm here." A feeling of dread started to build in my chest. Ever since Nico first proposed his plan for beating Kronos last summer, I'd had nightmares about it. He would show up occasionally and press me for an answer, but I kept putting him off.**

**"Nico, I don't know," I said. "It seems pretty extreme."**

**"You've got Typhon coming in, what . . . a week? Most of the other Titans are unleashed now and on Kronos's side. Maybe it's time to think extreme."**  

The gods all looked horrified at the prospect of Typhon escaping.

**I looked back toward the camp. Even from this distance, I could hear the Ares and Apollo campers fighting again, yelling curses and spouting bad poetry.**

**"They're no match for the Titan army," Nico said. "You know that. This comes down to you and Luke. And there's only one way you can beat Luke."**

**I remembered the fight on the** **_Princess Andromeda_ ** **. I'd been hopelessly outmatched. Kronos had almost killed me with a single cut to my arm, and I couldn't even wound him. Riptide had glanced right off his ski**

  **"We can give you the same power," Nico urged. "You heard the Great Prophecy. Unless you want to have your soul reaped by a cursed blade . . ."**

Athena stifled a gasp and she looked up from the book, Percy was shifting uncomfortably.

**I wondered how Nico had heard the prophecy— probably from some ghost.**

**"You can't prevent a prophecy," I said.**

**"But you can fight it." Nico had a strange, hungry light in his eyes. "You can become invincible."**

**"Maybe we should wait. Try to fight without—"**

**"No!" Nico snarled. "It has to be now!"**

**I stared at him. I hadn't seen his temper flare like that in a long time. "Urm, you sure you're okay?" He took a deep breath.**

“My fatal flaw,” Nico muttered, leaning more into Will’s warmth.

**"Percy, all I mean . . . when the fighting starts, we won't be able to make the journey. This is our last chance. I'm sorry if I'm being too pushy, but two years ago my sister gave her life to protect you. I want you to honor that. Do whatever it takes to stay alive and defeat Kronos."**

**I didn't like the idea. Then I thought about Annabeth calling me a coward, and I got angry.**

**Nico had a point. If Kronos attacked New York, the campers would be no match for his forces. I had to do something. Nico's way was dangerous—maybe even deadly. But it might give me a fighting edge.**

**"All right," I decided. "What do we do first?"**

**His cold creepy smile made me sorry I'd agreed. "First we'll need to retrace Luke's steps. We need to know more about his past, his childhood."**

**I shuddered, thinking about Rachel's picture from my dream—a smiling nine-year-old Luke. "Why do we need to know about that?"**

**"I'll explain when we get there," Nico said. "I've already tracked down his mother. She lives in Connecticut." I stared at him.**

**I'd never thought much about Luke's mortal parent. I'd met his dad, Hermes, but his mom . . .**

**"Luke ran away when he was really young," I said. "I didn't think his mom was alive."**

**"Oh, she's alive." The way he said it made me wonder what was wrong with her. What kind of horrible person could she be?**

**"Okay . . ." I said. "So how do we get to Connecticut? I can call Blackjack—"**

**"No." Nico scowled. "Pegasi don't like me, and the feeling is mutual. But there's no need for flying." He whistled, and Mrs. O'Leary came loping out of the woods.**

**"Your friend here can help." Nico patted her head. "You haven't tried shadow travel yet?"**

**"Shadow travel?"**

**Nico whispered in Mrs. O'Leary's ear. She tilted her head, suddenly alert.**

**"Hop on board," Nico told me.**

**I'd never considered riding a dog before, but Mrs. O'Leary was certainly big enough. I climbed onto her back and held her collar.**

**"This will make her very tired," Nico warned, "so you can't do it often. And it works best at night. But all shadows are part of the same substance. There is only one darkness, and creatures of the Underworld can use it as a road, or a door.**

**"I don't understand," I said.**

**"No," Nico said. "It took me a long time to learn. But Mrs. O'Leary knows. Tell her where to go. Tell her Westport, the home of May Castellan."**

**"You're not coming?"**

**"Don't worry," he said. "We'll meet you there." I was a little nervous, but I leaned down to Mrs. O'Leary's ear. "Okay, girl. Uh, can you take me to Westport, Connecticut? May Castellan's place?" Mrs. O'Leary sniffed the air. She looked into the gloom of the forest. Then she bounded forward, straight into an oak tree.**

**Just before we hit, we passed into shadows as cold as the dark side of the moon.**

Everyone sat in silence for a few moments, before Hades stood and took the book from Athena and opened it up to the marked page.


	2. My Cookies Get Scorched

"My Cookies Get Scorched" He read.

 

**I don't recommend shadow travel if you're scared of:**

  1. **a) The dark**
  2. **b) Cold shivers up your spine**
  3. **c) Strange noises**
  4. **d) Going so fast you feel like your face is peeling off**



 

Percy, Nico, Hazel, Luca, and Naiche grinned at eachother, while everyone else rolled their eyes.

 

**In other words, I thought it was awesome. One minute I couldn't see anything. I could only feel Mrs. O'Leary's fur and my fingers wrapped around the bronze links of her dog collar.**

 

**The next minute the shadows melted into a new scene. We were on a cliff in the woods of Connecticut. At least, it looked like Connecticut from the few times I'd been there: lots of trees, low stone walls, big houses. Down one side of the cliff, a highway cut through a ravine. Down the other side was someone's backyard. The property was huge—more wilderness than lawn. The house was a two-story white Colonial. Despite the fact that it was right on the other side of the hill from a highway, it felt like it was in the middle of nowhere. I could see a light glowing m the kitchen window. A rusty old swing set stood under an apple tree.**

 

**I couldn't imagine living in a house like this, with an actual yard and everything. I'd lived in a tiny apartment or a school dorm my whole life. If this was Luke's home, I wondered why he'd ever wanted to leave.**

 

**Mrs. O'Leary staggered. I remembered what Nico had said about shadow travel draining her, so I slipped off her back. She let out a huge toothy yawn that would've scared a T. rex, then turned in a circle and flopped down so hard the ground shook.**

 

**Nico  appeared right next to me, as if the shadows had darkened and created him. He stumbled, but I caught his arm.**

 

**"I'm okay," he managed, rubbing his eyes.**

 

**"How did you do that?"**

 

**"Practice. A few times running into walls. A few accidental trips to China." Mrs. O'Leary started snoring. If it hadn't been for the roar of traffic behind us, I'm sure she would've woken up the whole neighborhood.**

 

**"Are you going to take a nap too?" I asked Nico. He shook his head.**

 

**"The first time I shadow traveled, I passed out for a week. Now it just makes me a little drowsy, but I can't do it more than once or twice a night. Mrs. O'Leary won't be going anywhere for a while."**

 

**"So we've got some quality time in Connecticut." I gazed at the white Colonial house. "What now?"**

 

**"We ring the doorbell," Nico said. If I were Luke's mom, I would not have opened my door at night for two strange kids. But I wasn't** **_anything_ ** **like Luke's mom.**

 

Hermes put his hand to his head, looking like he was in serious pain.

 

**I knew that even before we reached the front door. The sidewalk was lined with those little stuffed beanbag animals you see in gift shops. There were miniature lions, pigs, dragons, hydras, even a teeny Minotaur in a little Minotaur diaper. Judging from their sad shape, the beanbag creatures had been sitting out here a long time—since the snow melted last spring at least. One of the hydras had a tree sapling sprouting between its necks.**

 

**The front porch was infested with wind chimes. Shiny bits of glass and metal clinked in the breeze. Brass ribbons tinkled like water and made me realize I needed to use the bathroom. I didn't know how Ms. Castellan could stand all the noise.**

 

 **The front door was painted turquoise. The name CASTELLAN was written in English, and below in Greek:** **Διοικητής** **φρουρίου** **.**

 

**Nico looked at me. "Ready?" He'd barely tapped the door when it swung open.**

 

**"Luke!" the old lady cried happily.**

 

**She looked like someone who enjoyed sticking her fingers in electrical sockets. Her white hair stuck out in tufts all over her head. Her pink housedress was covered in scorch marks and smears of ash. When she smiled, her face looked unnaturally stretched, and the high-voltage light in her eves made me wonder if she was blind.**

 

Hermes sunk down into his chair, and even Apollo looked upset.

 

**"Oh, my dear boy!" She hugged Nico. I was trying to figure out why she thought Nico was Luke (they looked absolutely nothing alike), when she smiled at me and said, "Luke!"**

 

**She forgot all about Nico and gave me a hug. She smelled like burned cookies. She was as thin as a scarecrow, but that didn't stop her from almost crushing me.**

 

**"Come in!" she insisted. "I have your lunch ready!"**

 

**She ushered us inside. The living room was even weirder than the front lawn. Mirrors and candles filled every available space. I couldn't look anywhere without seeing my own reflection. Above the mantel, a little bronze Hermes flew around the second hand of a ticking clock. I tried to imagine the god of messengers ever falling in love with this old woman, but the idea was too bizarre.**

 

**Then I noticed the framed picture on the mantel, and I froze. It was exactly like Rachel's sketch— Luke around nine years old, with blond hair and a big smile and two missing teeth. The lack of a scar on his face made him look like a different person—carefree and happy. How could Rachel have known about that picture?**

 

"She has the ability to become the next Oracle," Apollo stated. "But after May, I wouldn't risk it. With anyone." Unseen by the rest of the gods, Hades looked away guiltily and Hestia placed a hand on his arm.

 

**"This way, my dear!" Ms. Castellan steered me toward the back of the house. "Oh, I told them you would come back. I knew it!" She sat us down at the kitchen table. Stacked on the counter were hundreds—I mean hundreds—of Tupperware boxes with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches inside. The ones on the bottom were green and fuzzy, like they'd been there for a long time. The smell reminded me of my sixth grade locker—and that's not a good thing.**

 

All of the female goddesses either gagged or rolled their eyes.

 

**On top of the oven was a stack of cookie sheets. Each one had a dozen burned cookies on it. In the sink was a mountain of empty plastic Kool-Aid pitchers. A beanbag Medusa sat by the faucet like she was guarding the mess.**

 

Athena and Poseidon both muttered curses under their breaths.

 

**Ms. Castellan started humming as she got out peanut butter and jelly and started making a new sandwich. Something was burning in the oven. I got the feeling more cookies were on the way. Above the sink, taped all around the window, were dozens of little pictures cut from magazines and newspaper ads—pictures of Hermes from the FTD Flowers logo and Quickie Cleaners, pictures of the caduceus from medical ads.**

 

**My heart sank. I wanted to get out of that room, but Ms. Castellan kept smiling at me as she made the sandwich, like she was making sure I didn't bolt.**

 

Hermes winced at the description, though it was true.

 

**Nico coughed. "Urn, Ms. Castellan?"**

 

**"Mm?"**

 

**"We need to ask you about your son."**

 

**"Oh, yes! They told me he would never come back. But I knew better." She patted my cheek affectionately, giving me peanut butter racing stripes.**

 

**"When did you last see him?" Nico asked. Her eyes lost focus.**

 

**"He was so young when he left," she said wistfully. "Third grade. That's too young to run away! He said he'd be back for lunch. And I waited. He likes peanut butter sandwiches and cookies and Kool-Aid. He'll be back for lunch very soon. . . ." Then she looked at me and smiled. "Why, Luke, there you are! You look so handsome. You have your father's eyes."**

 

**She turned toward the pictures of Hermes above the sink. "Now, there's a good man. Yes, indeed. He comes to visit me, you know."**

 

"Hermes!" Zeus attempted to scold him, but the god just glared at him, his eyes shining with tears.

 

**The clock kept ticking in the other room. I wiped the peanut butter off my face and looked at Nico pleadingly, like** **_Can we get out of here now?_ **

 

**"Ma'am," Nico said. "What, uh . . . what happened to your eyes?"**

 

**Her gaze seemed fractured—like she was trying to focus on him through a kaleidoscope. "Why, Luke, you know the story. It was right before you were born, wasn't it? I'd always been special, able to see through the . . . whatever-they-call-it."**

 

**"The Mist?" I said.**

 

**"Yes, dear." She nodded encouragingly.**

 

**"And they offered me an important job. That's how special I was!" I glanced at Nico, but he looked as confused as I was.**

 

**"What sort of job?" I asked. "What happened?" Ms. Castellan frowned. Her knife hovered over the sandwich bread.**

 

**"Dear me, it didn't work out, did it? Your father warned me not to try. He said it was too dangerous. But I had to. It was my destiny! And now . . . I still can't get the images out of my head. They make everything seem so fuzzy. Would you like some cookies?"**

 

**She pulled a tray out of the oven and dumped a dozen lumps of chocolate chip charcoal on the table. "Luke was so kind," Ms. Castellan murmured. "He left to protect me, you know. He said if he went away, the monsters wouldn't threaten me. But I told him the monsters are no threat! They sit outside on the sidewalk all day, and they never come in." She picked up the little stuffed Medusa from the windowsill. "Do they, Mrs. Medusa? No, no threat at all." She beamed at me. "I'm so glad you came home. I knew you weren't ashamed of me!"**

 

**I shifted in my seat. I imagined being Luke sitting at this table, eight or nine years old, and just beginning to realize that my mother wasn't all there.**

 

**"Ms. Castellan," I said.**

 

**"Mom," she corrected.**

 

**"Um, yeah. Have you seen Luke since he left home?"**

 

**"Well, of course!" I didn't know if she was imagining that or not. For all I knew, every time the mailman came to the door he was Luke. But Nico sat forward expectantly.**

 

**"When?" he asked. "When did Luke visit you last?"**

 

**"Well, it was . . . Oh goodness . . ." A shadow passed across her face. "The last time, he looked so different. A scar. A terrible scar, and his voice so full of pain . . ."**

 

**"His eyes," I said. "Were they gold?"**

 

**"Gold?" She blinked. "No. How silly. Luke has blue eyes. Beautiful blue eyes!" So Luke really had been here, and this had happened before last summer—before he'd turned into Kronos.**

 

Hermes muffled a sob.

 

**"Ms. Castellan?" Nico put his hand on the old woman's arm. "This is very important. Did he ask you for anything?" She frowned as if trying to remember.**

 

**"My—my blessing. Isn't that sweet?" She looked at us uncertainly. "He was going to a river, and he said he needed my blessing. I gave it to him. Of course I did." Nico looked at me triumphantly.**

 

**"Thank you, ma'am. That's all the information we—" Ms. Castellan gasped. She doubled over, and her cookie tray clattered to the floor. Nico and I jumped to our feet.**

 

**"Ms. Castellan?" I said.**

 

**"** **_AHHHH_ ** **," She straightened. I scrambled away and almost fell over the kitchen table, because her eyes—her eyes were glowing green.**

 

**Hermes started weeping, and Apollo, for once has a frown on his face as he tried to comfort his brother.**

 

**"** **_My child_ ** **," she rasped in a much deeper voice. "** **_Must protect him! Hermes, help! Not my child! Not his fate—no!_ ** **" She grabbed Nico by the shoulders and began to shake him as if to make him understand. "** **_Not his fate_ ** **!" Nico made a strangled scream and pushed her away. He gripped the hilt of his sword.**

 

"I really didn't like being touched back then." He muttered, looking like he was trying to melt into Will's side.

 

**"Percy, we need to get out—" Suddenly Ms. Castellan collapsed. I lurched forward and caught her before she could hit the edge of the table. I managed to get her into a chair.**

 

**"Ms. C?" I asked. She muttered something incomprehensible and shook her head.**

 

**"Goodness. I . . . I dropped the cookies. How silly of me." She blinked, and her eyes were back to normal—or at least, what they had been before. The green glow was gone.**

 

**"Are you okay?" I asked.**

 

**"Well, of course, dear. I'm fine. Why do you ask?" I glanced at Nico, who mouthed the word** **_Leave_ ** **.**

 

**"Ms. C, you were telling us something," I said. "Something about your son."**

 

**"Was I?" she said dreamily. "Yes, his blue eyes. We were talking about his blue eyes. Such a handsome boy!"**

 

**"We have to go," Nico said urgently.**

 

**"We'll tell Luke . . . uh, we'll tell him you said hello."**

 

**"But you can't leave!" Ms. Castellan got shakily to her feet, and I backed away. I felt silly being scared of a frail old woman, but the way her voice had changed, the way she'd grabbed Nico . . .**

 

**"Hermes will be here soon," she promised. "He'll want to see his boy!"**

 

**"Maybe next time," I said. "Thank you for—" I looked down at the burned cookies scattered on the floor. "Thanks for everything." She tried to stop us, to offer us Kool-Aid, but I had to get out of that house. On the front porch, she grabbed my wrist and I almost jumped out of my skin.**

 

**"Luke, at least be safe. Promise me you'll be safe."**

 

**"I will . . . Mom." That made her smile. She released my wrist, and as she closed the front door I could hear her talking to the candles:**

 

**"You hear that? He will be safe. I told you he would be!"**

 

**As the door shut, Nico, and I ran. The little beanbag animals on the sidewalk seemed to grin at us as we passed.**

 

**Back at the cliff, Mrs. O'Leary had found a friend. A cozy campfire crackled in a ring of stones. A girl about eight years old was sitting cross-legged next to Mrs. O'Leary, scratching the hellhound's ears.**

 

**The girl had mousy brown hair and a simple brown dress. She wore a scarf over her head so she looked like a pioneer kid—like the ghost of** **_Little House on the Prairie_ ** **or something. She poked the fire with a stick, and it seemed to glow more richly red than a normal fire.**

 

Everyone smiled as Hestia.

 

**"Hello," she said.**

 

**My first thought was: monster. When you're a demigod and you find a sweet little girl alone in the woods—that's typically a good time to draw your sword and attack. Plus, the encounter with Ms. Castellan had rattled me pretty bad.**

 

**But Nico bowed to the little girl. "Hello again, Lady."**

 

**She studied me with eyes as red as the firelight. I decided it was safest to bow.**

 

**"Sit, Percy Jackson," she said. "Would you like some dinner?"**

 

**After staring at moldy peanut butter sandwiches and burned cookies, I didn't have much of an appetite, but the girl waved her hand and a picnic appeared at the edge of the fire. There were plates of roast beef, baked potatoes, buttered carrots, fresh bread, and a whole bunch of other foods I hadn't had in a long time. My stomach started to rumble. It was the kind of home-cooked meal people are supposed to have but never do. The girl made a five-foot-long dog biscuit appear for Mrs. O'Leary, who happily began tearing it to shreds.**

 

**I sat next to Nico. We picked up our food, and I was about to dig in when I thought better of it. I scraped part of my meal into the flames, the way we do at camp.**

 

**"For the gods," I said. The little girl smiled.**

 

**"Thank you. As tender of the flame, I get a share of every sacrifice, you know."**

 

**"I recognize you now," I said. "The first time I came to camp, you were sitting by the fire, in the middle of the commons area."**

 

**"You did not stop to talk," the girl recalled sadly. "Alas, most never do. Nico talked to me. They were the first in many years. Everyone rushes about. No time for visiting family."**

 

"Both Luca and Naiche spoke with you, as well, aunt." Nico smiled at her. "We try to make time to do so every day."

 

Hestia smiled at them. "Thank you, it is always nice to talk with family when they're not fighting." The other gods shifted uneasily, as did several other Demigods.

 

**"You're Hestia," I said. "Goddess of the Hearth." She nodded. Okay . . . so she looked eight years old. I didn't ask. I'd learned that gods could look any way they pleased.**

 

**"My lady," Nico asked, "why aren't you with the other Olympians, fighting Typhon?"**

 

**"I'm not much for fighting." Her red eyes flickered. I realized they weren't just reflecting the flames. They were filled with flames—but not like Ares's eyes. Hestia's eyes were warm and cozy.**

 

**"Besides," she said, "someone has to keep the home fires burning while the other gods are away."**

 

**"So you're guarding Mount Olympus?" I asked.**

 

**"'Guard' may be too strong a word. But if you ever need a warm place to sit and a home-cooked meal, you are welcome to visit. Now eat."**

 

**My plate was empty before I knew it. Nico scarfed his down just as fast.**

 

**"That was great," I said. "Thank you, Hestia."**

 

**She nodded. "Did you have a good visit with May Castellan?" For a moment I'd almost forgotten the old lady with her bright eyes and her maniacal smile, the way she'd suddenly seemed possessed.**

 

**"What's wrong with her, exactly?" I asked.**

 

**"She was born with a gift," Hestia said. "She could see through the Mist."**

 

**"Like my mother," I said. And I was also thinking, Like Rachel "But the glowing eyes thing—"**

 

**"Some bear the curse of sight better than others," the goddess said sadly. "For a while, May Castellan had many talents. She attracted the attention of Hermes himself. They had a beautiful baby boy. For a brief time, she was happy. And then she went too far."**

 

**I remembered what Ms. Castellan had said: They offered me an important job . . . It didn't work out. I wondered what kind of job left you like that.**

 

**"One minute she was all happy," I said. "And then she was freaking out about her son's fate, like she knew he'd turned into Kronos. What happened to . . . to divide her like that?"**

 

**The goddess's face darkened.  "That is a story I do not like to tell. But May Castellan saw too much. If you are to understand your enemy Luke, you must understand his family."**

 

**I thought about the sad little pictures of Hermes taped above May Castellan's sink. I wondered if Ms. Castellan had been so crazy when Luke was little. That green-eyed fit could've seriously scared a nine year-old kid. And if Hermes never visited, if he'd left Luke alone with his mom all those years . . .**

 

Hermes glared at his father, angrily. As did many of the other gods.

 

**"No wonder Luke ran away," I said. "I mean, it wasn't right to leave his mom like that, but still—he was just a kid. Hermes shouldn't have abandoned them."**

 

**Hestia scratched behind Mrs. O'Leary's ears. The hellhound wagged her tail and accidentally knocked over a tree.**

 

**"It's easy to judge others," Hestia warned. "But will you follow Luke's path? Seek the same powers?" Nico set down his plate.**

 

**"We have no choice, my lady. It's the only way Percy stands a chance."**

 

**"Mmm." Hestia opened her hand and the fire roared. Flames shot thirty feet into the air. Heat slapped me in the face. Then the fire died back down to normal.**

 

**"Not all powers are spectacular." Hestia looked at me. "Sometimes the hardest power to master is the power of yielding. Do you believe me?"**

 

**"Uh-huh," I said. Anything to keep her from messing with her flame powers again. The goddess smiled.**

 

**"You are a good hero, Percy Jackson. Not too proud. I like that. But you have much to learn. When Dionysus was made a god, I gave up my throne for him. It was the only way to avoid a civil war among the gods."**

 

**"It unbalanced the Council," I remembered. "Suddenly there were seven guys and five girls."**

 

**Hestia shrugged. "It was the best solution, not a perfect one. Now I tend the fire. I fade slowly into the background. No one will ever write epic poems about the deeds of Hestia. Most demigods don't even stop to talk to me. But that is no matter. I keep the peace. I yield when necessary. Can you do this?"**

 

**"I don't know what you mean."**

 

**She studied me. "Perhaps not yet. But soon. Will you continue your quest?"**

 

**"Is that why you're here—to warn me against going?"**

 

**Hestia shook her head. "I am here because when all else fails, when all the other mighty gods have gone off to war, I am all that's left. Home. Hearth. I am the last Olympian. You must remember me when you face your final decision.**

 

**I didn't like the way she said** **_final_ ** **.**

**I looked at Nico, then back at Hestia's warm glowing eyes.**

 

**"I have to continue, my lady. I have to stop Luke . . . I mean Kronos."**

 

**Hestia nodded. "Very well. I cannot be of much assistance, beyond what I have already told you. But since you sacrificed to me, I can return you to your own hearth. I will see you again, Percy, on Olympus."**

 

**Her tone was ominous, as though our next meeting would not be happy.**

 

**The goddess waved her hand, and everything faded.**

 

**Suddenly I was home. Nico and I were sitting on the couch in my mom's apartment on the Upper East Side. That was the good news. The bad news was that the rest of the living room was occupied by Mrs. O'Leary.**

 

**I heard a muffled yell from the bedroom.**

 

**Paul's voice said, "Who put this wall of fur in the doorway?"**

 

**"Percy?" my mom called out. "Are you here? Are you all right?"**

 

**"I'm here!" I shouted back.**

 

**"** **_WOOF_ ** **!" Mrs. O'Leary tried to turn in a circle to find my mom, knocking all the pictures off the walls. She's only met my mom once before (long story), but she loves her.**

 

**It took a few minutes, but we finally got things worked out. After destroying most of the furniture in the living room and probably making our neighbors really mad, we got my parents out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where we sat around the kitchen table. Mrs. O'Leary still took up the entire living room, but she'd settled her head in the kitchen doorway so she could see us, which made her happy. My mom tossed her a ten-pound family-size tube of ground beef, which disappeared down her gullet. Paul poured lemonade for the rest of us while I explained about our visit to Connecticut.**

 

**"So it's true." Paul stared at me like he'd never seen me before. He was wearing his white bathrobe, now covered in hellhound fur, and his salt-and-pepper hair was sticking up in every direction. "All the talk about monsters, and being a demigod . . . it's really true."**

 

**I nodded. Last fall I'd explained to Paul who I was. My mom had backed me up. But until this moment, I don't think he really believed us.**

 

**"Sorry about Mrs. O'Leary," I said, "destroying the living room and all."**

 

**Paul laughed like he was delighted.  "Are you kidding? This is awesome! I mean, when I saw the hoof prints on the Prius, I thought maybe. But this!" He patted Mrs. O'Leary's snout. The living room shook—BOOM, BOOM, BOOM—which either meant a SWAT team was breaking down the door or Mrs. O'Leary was wagging her tail.**

 

**I couldn't help but smile. Paul was a pretty cool guy, even if he was my English teacher as well as my stepdad.**

 

**"Thanks for not freaking out," I said. "Oh, I'm freaking out," he promised, his eyes wide. "I just think it's awesome!"**

 

**"Yeah, well," I said, "you may not be so excited when you hear what's happening."**

 

**I told Paul and my mom about Typhon, and the gods, and the battle that was sure to come. Then I told them Nico's plan.**

 

**My mom laced her fingers around her lemonade glass. She was wearing her old blue flannel bathrobe, and her hair was tied back. Recently she'd started writing a novel, like she'd wanted to do for years, and I could tell she'd been working on it late into the night, because the circles under her eyes were darker than usual.**

 

"Good for her, for finally getting around to that!" Athena grinned, and the rest of the Demigods, and Posiedon, nodded.

 

"Mrs. Jackson is the nicest person you'll ever meet." Nico grinned.

 

"Yeah, I might as well call you my younger brother now," Percy smiled at him. "She's basically adopted you." Nico blushed.

 

"I'm fairly certain she's going to enroll you in High School here soon." Nico sent him a paniced look.

 

**Behind her at the kitchen window, silvery moon lace glowed in the flower box. I'd brought the magical plant back from Calypso's island last summer, and it bloomed like crazy under my mother's care. The scent always calmed me down, but it also made me**

**sad because it reminded me of lost friends.**

 

Percy smiled sadly as all the gods turned to him in shock.

 

**My mom took a deep breath, like she was thinking how to tell me no.**

 

**"Percy, it's dangerous," she said. "Even for you."**

 

**"Mom, I know. I could die. Nico explained that. But if we don't try—"**

 

**"We'll all die," Nico said. He hadn't touched his lemonade. "Ms. Jackson, we don't stand a chance against an invasion. And there will be an invasion."**

**"An invasion of New York?" Paul said. "Is that even possible? How could we not see the . . . the monsters?"**

 

**He said the word like he still couldn't believe this was real.**

 

**"I don't know," I admitted. "I don't see how Kronos could just march into Manhattan, but the Mist is strong. Typhon is trampling across the country right now, and mortals think he's a storm system."**

 

**"Ms. Jackson," Nico said, "Percy needs your blessing. The process has to start that way. I wasn't sure until we met Luke's mom, but now I'm positive. This has only been done successfully twice before. Both times, the mother had to give her blessing. She had to be willing to let her son take the risk."**

 

**"You want me to bless this?" She shook her head. "It's crazy. Percy, please—"**

 

**"Mom, I can't do it without you."**

 

**"And if you survive this . . . this process?"**

 

**"Then I go to war," I said. "Me against Kronos. And only one of us will survive."**

 

**I didn't tell her the whole prophecy—about the soul reaping and the end of my days. She didn't need to know that I was probably doomed. I could only hope I'd stop Kronos and save the rest of the world before I died.**

 

**"You're my son," she said miserably. "I can't just . . ."**

 

**I could tell I'd have to push her harder if I wanted her to agree, but I didn't want to. I remembered poor Ms. Castellan in her kitchen, waiting for her son to come home. And I realized how lucky I was. My mom had always been there for me, always tried to make things normal for me, even with the gods and monsters and stuff. She put up with me going off on adventures, but now I was asking her blessing to do something that would probably get me killed.**

 

**I locked eyes with Paul, and some kind of understanding passed between us.**

 

**"Sally." He put his hand over my mother's hands. "I can't claim to know what you and Percy have been going through all these years. But it sounds to me . . . it sounds like Percy is doing something noble. I wish I had that much courage."**

 

**I got a lump in my throat. I didn't get compliments like that too much. My mom stared at her lemonade. She looked like she was trying not to cry. I thought about what Hestia had said, about how hard it was to yield, and I figured maybe my mom was finding that out.**

 

**"Percy," she said, "I give you my blessing."**

 

**I didn't feel any different. No magic glow lit the kitchen or anything.**

 

**I glanced at Nico.**

 

**He looked more anxious than ever, but he nodded.**

 

**"It's time."**

 

**"Percy," my mom said. "One last thing. If you . . . if you survive this fight with Kronos, send me a sign." She rummaged through her purse and handed me her cell phone.**

 

**"Mom," I said, "you know demigods and phones—"**

 

**"I know," she said. "But just in case. If you're not able to call . . . maybe a sign that I could see from anywhere in Manhattan. To let me know you're okay."**

 

**"Like Theseus," Paul suggested. "He was supposed to raise white sails when he came home to Athens."**

 

**"Except he forgot," Nico muttered. "And his father jumped off the palace roof in despair. But other than that, it was a great idea." Cameo nodded, looking slightly awkward.**

 

**"What about a flag or a flare?" my mom said. "From Olympus—the Empire State Building."**

 

**"Something blue," I said.**

 

**We'd had a running joke for years about blue food. It was my favorite color, and my mom went out of her way to humor me. Every year my birthday cake, my Easter basket, my Christmas candy canes always had to be blue.**

 

**"Yes," my mom agreed. "I'll watch for a blue signal. And I'll try to avoid jumping off palace roofs."**

 

**She gave me one last hug. I tried not to feel like I was saying good-bye. I shook hands with Paul. Then the three of us walked to the kitchen doorway and looked at Mrs. O'Leary.**

 

**"Sorry, girl," I said. "Shadow travel time again."**

 

**She whimpered and crossed her paws over her snout.**

 

**"Where now?" I asked Nico. "Los Angeles?"**

 

**"No need," he said. "There's a closer entrance to the Underworld."**

 

Naiche stood and took the book from Hades. He flipped to the correct page, and started reading.

 

"My Math Teacher Gives Me A Lift"


	3. My Math Teacher Gives Me A Lift

**We emerged in Central Park just north of the Pond. Mrs. O'Leary looked pretty tired as she limped over to a cluster of boulders. She started sniffing around, and I was afraid she might mark her territory, but Nico said, "It's okay. She just smells the way home." I frowned.**

 

**"Through the rocks?"**

 

**"The Underworld has two major entrances," Nico said. "You know the one in L.A."**

 

**"Charon's ferry."**

 

**Nico nodded. "Most souls go that way, but there's a smaller path, harder to find. The Door of Orpheus."**

 

**"The dude with the harp."**

 

"The dude with the harp?" Annabeth asked, but Percy just shrugged and grinned.

 

**"Dude with the lyre," Nico corrected. "But yeah, him. He used his music to charm the earth and open a new path into the Underworld. He sang his way right into Hades' palace and almost got away with his wife's soul."**

 

**I remembered the story. Orpheus wasn't supposed to look behind him when he was leading his wife back to the world, but of course he did. It was one of those typical "and-so-they-died/the-end" stories that always made us feel warm and fuzzy.**

 

"Yep! Gotta love those stories." Luca commented dryly.

 

**"So this is the Door of Orpheus." I tried to be impressed, but it still looked like a pile of rocks to me. "How does it open?"**

 

**"We need music," Nico said. "How's your singing?"**

 

**"Um, no. Can't you just, like, tell it to open? You're the son of Hades and all."**

 

**"It's not so easy. We need music."**

 

**I was pretty sure if I tried to sing, all I would cause was an avalanche.**

 

This comment caused Apollo to gasp and clutch his heart. "You can't be that bad at it!" But Percy just nodded.

 

**"I'm as good at it as I am archery, and you know I'm horrid at that."**

 

**"I have a better idea." I turned and called, "GROVER!"**

 

**We waited for a long time. Mrs. O'Leary curled up and took a nap. I could hear the crickets in the woods and an owl hooting. Traffic hummed along Central Park West. Horse hooves clopped down a nearby path, maybe a mounted police patrol. I was sure they'd love to find two kids hanging out in the park at one in the morning.**

 

**"It's no good," Nico said at last. But I had a feeling. My empathy link was really tingling for the first time in months, which either meant a whole lot of people had suddenly switched on the Nature Channel, or Grover was close.**

 

**I shut my eyes and concentrated.** **_Grover_ ** **.**

 

**I knew he was somewhere in the park. Why couldn't I sense his emotions? All I got was a faint hum in the base of my skull.**

 

**_Grover,_ ** **I thought more insistently.**

 

**_Hmm-hmmmm,_ ** **something said.**

 

**An image came into my head. I saw a giant elm tree deep in the woods, well off the main paths. Gnarled roots laced the ground, making a kind of bed. Lying in it with his arms crossed and his eyes closed was a satyr. At first I couldn't be sure it was Grover. He was covered in twigs and leaves, like he'd been sleeping there a long time. The roots seemed to be shaping themselves around him, slowly pulling him into the earth.**

 

**_Grover,_ ** **I said.** **_Wake up._ **

 

**_Unnnh—zzzzz._ **

 

**_Dude, you're covered in dirt. Wake up!_ **

 

**_Sleepy,_ ** **his mind murmured.**

 

**_FOOD,_ ** **I suggested.** **_PANCAKES!_ **

 

**His eyes shot open. A blur of thoughts filled my head like he was suddenly on fast-forward. The image shattered, and I almost fell over.**

 

"PANCAKES!" Naiche, Apollo and Hermes called out, and Naiche started laughing, while Luca and most everyone else rolled their eyebrows.

 

**"What happened?" Nico asked.**

 

**"I got through. He's . . . yeah. He's on his way."**

 

**A minute later, the tree next to us shivered. Grover fell out of the branches, right on his head.**

 

**"Grover!" I yelled.**

 

**_"Woof!"_ ** **Mrs. O'Leary looked up, probably wondering if we were going to play fetch with the satyr.**

"I don't think he'd like that." Thalia snickered.

 

**"Blah-haa-haa!" Grover bleated.**

 

**"You okay, man?"**

 

**"Oh, I'm fine." He rubbed his head. His horns had grown so much they poked an inch above his curly hair. "I was at the other end of the park. The dryads had this great idea of passing me through the trees to get me here. They don't understand height very well."**

 

**He grinned and got to his feet—well, his hooves, actually. Since last summer, Grover had stopped trying to disguise himself as human. He never wore a cap or fake feet anymore. He didn't even wear jeans, since he had furry goat legs from the waist down. His T-shirt had a picture from that book Where the Wild Things Are. It was covered with dirt and tree sap. His goatee looked fuller, almost manly (or goatly?), and he was as tall as me now.**

 

**"Good to see you, G-man," I said. "You remember Nico, and this is Cameo."**

 

**Grover nodded at the two of them, then he gave me a big hug. He smelled like fresh-mown lawns.**

 

**"Perrrrcy!" he bleated. "I missed you! I miss camp. They don't serve very good enchiladas in the wilderness."**

 

**"I was worried," I said. "Where've you been the last two months?"**

 

**"The last two—" Grover's smile faded. "The last two months? What are you talking about?"**

 

**"We haven't heard from you," I said. "Juniper's worried. We sent Iris-messages, but—"**

 

**"Hold on." He looked up at the stars like he was trying to calculate his position. "What month is this?"**

 

**"August."**

 

**The color drained from his face. "That's impossible. It's June. I just lay down to take a nap and . . ." He grabbed my arms. "I remember now! He knocked me out. Percy, we have to stop him!"**

 

**"Whoa," I said. "Slow down. Tell me what happened."**

 

**He took a deep breath. "I'll admit, that came as a shock." Grover said, looking slightly annoyed.**

 

**"I was . . . I was walking in the woods up by Harlem Meer. And I felt this tremble in the ground, like something powerful was near."**

 

**"You can sense stuff like that?" Nico asked.**

 

**Grover nodded. "Since Pan's death, I can feel when something is wrong in nature. It's like my ears and eyes are sharper when I'm in the Wild. Anyway, I started following the scent. This man in a long black coat was walking through the park, and I noticed he didn't cast a shadow. Middle of a sunny day, and he cast no shadow. He kind of shimmered as he moved."**

 

**"Like a mirage?" Nico asked.**

 

**"Yes," Grover said. "And whenever he passed humans—"**

 

**"The humans would pass out," Nico said. "Curl up and go to sleep."**

 

**"That's right! Then after he was gone, they'd get up and go about their business like nothing happened." I stared at the two of them.**

 

**"You know this guy in black?"**

 

**"Afraid so," Nico said. "Grover, what happened?"**

 

**"I followed the guy. He kept looking up at the buildings around the park like he was making estimates or something. This lady jogger ran by, and she curled up on the sidewalk and started snoring. The guy in black put his hand on her forehead like he was checking her temperature. Then he kept walking. By this time, I knew he was a monster or something even worse. I followed him into this grove, to the base of a big elm tree. I was about to summon some dryads to help me capture him when he turned and . . ."**

 

**Grover swallowed. "Percy, his face. I couldn't make out his face because it kept shifting. Just looking at him made me sleepy. I said, 'What are you doing?' He said, 'Just having a look around. You should always scout a battlefield before the battle.' I said something really smart like, 'This forest is under my protection. You won't start any battles here!' And he laughed. He said, 'You're lucky I'm saving my energy for the main event, little satyr. I'll just grant you a short nap. Pleasant dreams.' And that's the last thing I remember."**

 

**Nico exhaled. "Grover, you met Morpheus, the God of Dreams. You're lucky you ever woke up."**

 

**"Two months," Grover moaned. "He put me to sleep for two months!"**

 

**I tried to wrap my mind around what this meant. Now it made sense why we hadn't been able to contact Grover all this time.**

 

**"Why didn't the nymphs try to wake you?" I asked. Grover shrugged.**

 

**"Most nymphs aren't good with time. Two months for a tree—that's nothing. They probably didn't think anything was wrong."**

 

**"We've got to figure out what Morpheus was doing in the park," I said. "I don't like this 'main event' thing he mentioned."**

 

**"He's working for Kronos," Nico said. "We know that already.  A lot of the minor gods are. I heard some of the monsters talking about it. This just proves there's going to be an invasion. Percy, we have to get on with the plan."**

 

**"Wait," Grover said. "What plan?"**

 

**We told him, and Grover started tugging at his leg fur.**

 

**"You're not serious," he said. "Not the Underworld again."**

 

"Again?" Hades asked, and Percy nodded.

 

"It was going to be the… what, the second time? I believe?"

 

"Your first quest," Nico counted. "And the time with my sword. So yes, if you're not counting what happened in the labyrinth. Pretty sure we probably ended up in the Underworld, then."

 

Percy laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised."

 

**"I'm not asking you to come, man," I promised. "I know you just woke up. But we need some music to open the door. Can you do it?" Grover took out his reed pipes.**

 

**"I guess I could try. I know a few Nirvana tunes that can split rocks. But, Percy, are you sure you want to do this?"**

 

**"Please, man," I said. "It would mean a lot. For old times' sake?"**

 

**He whimpered. "As I recall, in the old times we almost died a lot. But okay, here goes nothing."**

 

**He put his pipes to his lips and played a shrill, lively tune. The boulders trembled. A few more stanzas, and they cracked open, revealing a triangular crevice.**

 

**I peered inside. Steps led down into the darkness. The air smelled of mildew and death. It brought back bad memories of my trip through the Labyrinth last year, but this tunnel felt even more dangerous. It led straight to the land of Hades, and that was almost always a one-way trip.**

 

**I turned to Grover. "Thanks . . . I think."**

 

**"Perrrrcy, is Kronos really going to invade?"**

 

**"I wish I could tell you better, but yeah. He will."**

 

**I thought Grover might chew up his reed pipes in anxiety, but he straightened up and brushed off his T-shirt. I couldn't help thinking how different he looked from fat old Leneus. "I've got to rally the nature spirits, then. Maybe we can help. I'll see if we can find this Morpheus.'"**

**"Better tell Juniper you're okay, too."**

 

**His eyes widened. "Juniper! Oh, she's going to kill me!" He started to run off, then scrambled back and gave me another hug. "Be careful down there! Come back alive!"**

 

**Once he was gone, Nico and I roused Mrs. O'Leary from her nap.**

 

**When she smelled the tunnel, she got excited and led the way down the steps. It was a pretty tight fit. I hoped she wouldn't get stuck. I couldn't imagine how much Drano we'd need to un-stick a hellhound wedged halfway down a tunnel to the Underworld.**

 

**"Ready?" Nico asked me. "It'll be fine. Don't worry."**

 

**He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.**

 

"I was," he muttered.

 

**I glanced up at the stars, wondering if I would ever see them again. Then we plunged into darkness.**

 

**The stairs went on forever—narrow, steep, and slippery. It was completely dark except for the light of my sword. I tried to go slow, but Mrs. O'Leary had other ideas. She bounded ahead, barking happily. The sound echoed through the tunnel like cannon shots, and I figured we would not be catching anybody by surprise once we reached the bottom.**

 

**Nico lagged behind, which I thought was strange.**

 

**"You okay?" I asked him.**

 

**"Fine." What was that expression on his face . . . doubt? "Just keep moving," he said.**

 

**I didn't have much choice. I followed Mrs. O'Leary into the depths. After another hour, I started to hear the roar of a river.**

 

**We emerged at the base of a cliff, on a plain of black volcanic sand. To our right, the River Styx gushed from the rocks and roared off in a cascade of rapids. To our left, far away in the gloom, fires burned on the ramparts of Erebos, the great black walls of Hades' kingdom.**

 

**I shuddered. I'd first been here when I was twelve, and only Annabeth and Grover's company had given me the courage to keep going. Nico wasn't going to be quite as helpful with the "courage" thing. He looked pale and worried himself.**

 

**Only Mrs. O'Leary acted happy. She ran along the beach, picked up a random human leg bone, and romped back toward me. She dropped the bone at my feet and waited for me to throw it.**

 

**"Um, maybe later, girl." I stared at the dark waters, trying to get up my nerve. "So, Nico . . . how do we do this?"**

 

**"We have to go inside the gates first," he said.**

 

Hades looked at them in confusion, as did Athena.

 

**"But the river's right here."**

 

**"I have to get something," he said. "It's the only way."**

 

**He marched off without waiting.**

 

**I frowned. Nico hadn't mentioned anything about going inside the gates. But now that we were here, I didn't know what else to do. Reluctantly, I followed him down the beach toward the big black gates.**

 

**Lines of the dead stood outside waiting to get in. It must've been a heavy day for funerals, because even the EZ-DEATH line was backed up.**

 

**_"Woof!"_ ** **Mrs. O'Leary said. Before I could stop her she bounded toward the security checkpoint. Cerberus, the guard dog of Hades, appeared out of the gloom—a three-headed Rottweiler so big he made Mrs. O'Leary look like a toy poodle. Cerberus was half transparent, so he's really hard to see until he's close enough to kill you, but he acted like he didn't care about us. He was too busy saying hello to Mrs. O'Leary.**

 

**"Mrs. O'Leary, no!" I shouted at her.**

 

**"Don't sniff . . . Oh, man."**

 

**Nico smiled. Then he looked at me and his expression turned all serious again, like he'd remembered something unpleasant. "Come on. They won't give us any trouble in the line. You're with me."**

 

**I didn't like it, but we slipped through the security ghouls and into the Fields of Asphodel. I had to whistle for Mrs. O'Leary three times before she left Cerberus alone and ran after us.**

 

**We hiked over black fields of grass dotted with black poplar trees. If I really died in a few days like the prophecy said, I might end up here forever, but I tried not to think about that.**

 

**Nico trudged ahead, bringing us closer and closer to the palace of Hades.**

 

**"Hey," I said, "we're inside the gates already. Where are we—"**

 

**Mrs. O'Leary growled. A shadow appeared overhead—something dark, cold, and stinking of death. It swooped down and landed in the top of a poplar tree.**

 

**Unfortunately, I recognized her. She had a shriveled face, a horrible blue knit hat, and a crumpled velvet dress. Leathery bat wings sprang from her back. Her feet had sharp talons, and in her brass-clawed hands she held a flaming whip and a paisley handbag.**

 

**"Mrs. Dodds," I said. She bared her fangs. "Welcome back, honey." Her two sisters—the other Furies—swooped down and settled next to her in the branches of the poplar.**

 

"Does she still do the honey thing?" Percy asked Nico, who nodded.

 

"Yeah, she does. It's quite annoying honestly."

 

**"You know Alecto?" Nico asked me.**

 

**"If you mean the hag in the middle, yeah," I said. "She was my math teacher." Nico nodded, like this didn't surprise him. He looked up at the Furies and took a deep breath.**

 

**"I've done what my father asked. Take us to the palace."**

 

**I tensed. "Wait a second, Nico. What do you—"**

 

**"I'm afraid this is my new lead, Percy. My father promised me information about my family, but he wants to see you before we try the river. I'm sorry."**

 

**"You** **_tricked_ ** **me?" I was so mad I couldn't think. I lunged at him, but the Furies were fast. One of them swooped down and plucked me up by the arms, the other picking up Cameo, who dropped the dagger that had appeared in her hand. My sword fell out of my hand, and before I knew it, I was dangling sixty feet in the air.**

 

**"Oh, don't struggle, honey," my old math teacher cackled in my ear. "I'd hate to drop you."**

 

**Mrs. O'Leary barked angrily and jumped, trying to reach me, but we were too high.**

 

**"Tell Mrs. O'Leary to behave," Nico warned. He was hovering near me in the clutches of the third Fury. "I don't want her to get hurt, Percy. My father is waiting. He just wants to talk."**

 

**I wanted to tell Mrs. O'Leary to attack Nico, but it wouldn't have done any good, and Nico was right about one thing: my dog could get hurt if she tried to pick a fight with the Furies.**

 

**I gritted my teeth. "Mrs. O'Leary, down! It's okay, girl."**

 

**She whimpered and turned in circles, looking up at me. "All right, traitor," I growled at Nico.**

 

Nico hung his head, and Percy rolled his eyes before splashing him, causing an argument that took about then minuets to break up.

 

**"You've got your prize. Take me to the stupid palace."**

 

**Alecto dropped me like a sack of turnips in the middle of the palace garden.**

 

**It was beautiful in a creepy way. Skeletal white trees grew from marble basins. Flower beds overflowed with golden plants and gemstones. A pair of thrones, one bone and one silver, sat on the balcony with a view of the Fields of Asphodel. It would've been a nice place to spend a Saturday morning except for the sulfurous smell and the cries of tortured souls in the distance.**

 

**Skeletal warriors guarded the only exit. They wore tattered U.S. Army desert combat fatigues and carried M16s.**

 

**The second and third Furies deposited Nico next to me. Then all three of them settled on the top of the skeletal throne. I resisted the urge to strangle Nico. They'd only stop me. I'd have to wait for my revenge.**

 

**I stared at the empty thrones, waiting for something to happen. Then the air shimmered. Three figures appeared—Hades and Persephone on their thrones, and an older woman standing between them. They seemed to be in the middle of an argument.**

 

**"—told you he was a bum!" the older woman said.**

 

**"Mother!" Persephone replied.**

 

**"We have visitors!" Hades barked. "Please!"**

 

**Hades, one of my least favorite gods, smoothed his black robes, which were covered with the terrified faces of the damned. He had pale skin and the intense eyes of a madman.**

 

Hades raised an eyebrow at Percy.

 

"Can you blame me?" Percy defended. "The first time I met you, you tried to kill me. The second time, you were angry at your wife. It wasn't until after the war that we ended with an okay relationship." Hades nodded.

 

**"Percy Jackson," he said with satisfaction. "At last."**

 

**Queen Persephone studied me curiously. I'd seen her once before in the winter, but now in the summer she looked like a totally different goddess. She had lustrous black hair and warm brown eyes. Her dress shimmered with colors. Flower patterns in the fabric changed and bloomed—roses, tulips, honeysuckle.**

 

**The woman standing between them was obviously Persephone's mother. She had the same hair and eyes, but looked older and sterner. Her dress was golden, the color of a wheat field. Her hair was woven with dried grasses so it reminded me of a wicker basket. I figured if somebody lit a match next to her, she'd be in serious trouble.**

 

Demeter went to scream at him, but glares from everyone kept her mouth shut.

 

**"Hmmph," the older woman said. "Demigods. Just what we need."**

 

**Next to me, Nico knelt. I wished I had my sword so I could cut his stupid head off. Unfortunately, Riptide was still out in the fields somewhere.**

 

**"Father," Nico said. "I have done as you asked."**

 

**"Took you long enough," Hades grumbled. "Your sister would've done a better job."**

 

Everyone, including Hades, had shocked looks on their faces. Finally, Hades cleared his throat.

 

"Nico, I should never have said that. Both you and Bianca are my children, and I don't love wither of you more that the other. I can't say anything for my future self, but what he just said was wrong." Nico gave his father a small smile.

 

"He made it up to me in the end, we have a much better relationship now."

 

Hades smiled, relieved. "Continue, Naiche."

 

**Nico lowered his head. If I hadn't been so mad at the little creep, I might've felt sorry for him. I glared up at the god of the dead.**

 

**"What do you want, Hades?"**

 

**"To talk, of course." The god twisted his mouth in a cruel smile. "Didn't Nico tell you?"**

**"So this whole quest was a lie. Nico brought us down here to get me killed."**

 

**"Oh, no," Hades said. "I'm afraid Nico was quite sincere about wanting to help you. The boy is as honest as he is dense. I simply convinced him to take a small detour and bring you here first."**

 

**"Father," Nico said, "you promised that Percy would not be harmed. You said if I brought him, you would tell me about my past—about my mother."**

 

**Queen Persephone sighed dramatically. "Can we please not talk about that woman in my presence?"**

 

**"I'm sorry, my dove," Hades said. "I had to promise the boy something."**

 

**The older lady harrumphed. "I warned you, daughter. This scoundrel Hades is no good. You could've married the god of doctors or the god of lawyers, but noooo. You had to eat the pomegranate."**

 

**"Mother—"**

 

**"And get stuck in the Underworld!"**

**"Mother, please—"**

 

**"And here it is August, and do you come home like you're supposed to? Do you ever think about your poor lonely mother?"**

 

"Exactly!" Demeter yelled, everyone ignored her.

 

**"DEMETER!" Hades shouted. "That is enough. You are a guest in my house."**

 

**"Oh, a house is it?" she said. "You call this dump a house? Make my daughter live in this dark, damp—"**

 

**"I told you," Hades said, grinding his teeth, "there's a war in the world above. You and Persephone are better off here with me."**

 

**"Excuse me," I broke in. "But if you're going to kill me, could you just get on with it?" All three gods looked at me.**

 

**"Well, this one has an attitude," Demeter observed.**

 

**"Indeed," Hades agreed. "I'd love to kill him."**

 

**"Father!" Nico said. "You promised!"**

 

**"Husband, we talked about this," Persephone chided. "You can't go around incinerating every hero. Besides, he's brave. I like that." Hades rolled his eyes.**

 

**"You liked that Orpheus fellow too. Look how well that turned out. Let me kill him, just a little bit."**

**"Father, you promised!" Nico said. "You said you only wanted to talk to him. You said if I brought him, you'd explain."**

 

**Hades glowered, smoothing the folds of his robes. "And so I shall. Your mother—what can I tell you? She was a wonderful woman." He glanced uncomfortably at Persephone. "Forgive me, my dear. I mean for a mortal, of course. Her name was Maria di Angelo. She was from Venice, but her father was a diplomat in Washington, D.C. That's where I met her. When you and your sister were young, it was a bad time to be children of Hades. World War II was brewing. A few of my, ah, other children were leading the losing side. I thought it best to put you two out of harm's way."**

 

**"That's why you hid us in the Lotus Casino?" Hades shrugged. "You didn't age. You didn't realize time was passing. I waited for the right time to bring you out."**

 

**"But what happened to our mother? Why don't I remember her?"**

 

**"Not important," Hades snapped.**

 

**"** **_What_ ** **? Of course it's important. And you had other children—why were we the only ones who were sent away? And who was the lawyer who got us out?" Hades grit his teeth.**

 

**"You would do well to listen more and talk less, boy. As for the lawyer . . ." Hades snapped his fingers. On top of his throne, the Fury Alecto began to change until she was a middle-aged man in a pinstriped suit with a briefcase. She—he—looked strange crouching at Hades' shoulder.**

 

**"You!" Nico said.**

 

**The Fury cackled. "I do lawyers and teachers very well!"**

 

**Nico was trembling. "But why did you free us from the casino?"**

 

**"You know why," Hades said. "This idiot son of Poseidon cannot be allowed to be the child of the prophecy."**

 

**I plucked a ruby off the nearest plant and threw it at Hades. It sank harmlessly into his robe. "You should be helping Olympus!" I said. "All the other gods are fighting Typhon, and you're just sitting here—"**

 

**"Waiting things out," Hades finished. "Yes, that's correct. When's the last time Olympus ever helped me, half-blood? When's the last time a child of mine was ever welcomed as a hero?"**

 

"After the war!" Percy called, grinning. Nico rolled his eyes and flicked a dark rock at him.

 

**"Bah! Why should I rush out and help them? I'll stay here with my forces intact."**

 

**"And when Kronos comes after you?"**

 

**"Let him try. He'll be weakened. And my son here, Nico—" Hades looked at him with distaste. "Well, he's not much now, I'll grant you. It would've been better if Bianca had lived. But give him four more years of training. We can hold out that long, surely. Nico will turn sixteen, as the prophecy says, and then he will make the decision that will save the world. And I will be king of the gods."**

 

**"You're crazy," I said. "Kronos will crush you, right after he finishes pulverizing Olympus." Hades spread his hands.**

 

**"Well, you'll get a chance to find out, half-blood. Because you'll be waiting out this war in my dungeons."**

 

**"No!" Nico said. "Father, that wasn't our agreement. And you haven't told me everything!"**

 

**"I've told you all you need to know," Hades said. "As for our agreement, I spoke with Jackson. I did not harm him. You got your information. If you had wanted a better deal, you should've made me swear on the Styx. Now, go to your room!" He waved his hand, and Nico vanished.**

 

**"That boy needs to eat more," Demeter grumbled. "He's too skinny. He needs more cereal."**

 

**Persephone rolled her eyes. "Mother, enough with the cereal. My lord Hades, are you sure we can't let this little hero go? He's awfully brave."**

 

**"No, my dear. I've spared his life. That's enough." I was sure she was going to stand up for me. The brave, beautiful Persephone was going to get me out of this.**

 

**She shrugged indifferently. "Fine. What's for breakfast? I'm starving."**

 

**"Cereal," Demeter said.**

 

**"** **_Mother_ ** **!" The two women disappeared in a swirl of flowers and wheat.**

 

**"Don't feel too bad, Percy Jackson," Hades said. "My ghosts keep me well informed of Kronos's plans. I can assure you that you had no chance to stop him in time. By tonight, it will be too late for your precious Mount Olympus. The trap will be sprung."**

 

**"What trap?" I demanded. "If you know about it, do something! At least let me tell the other gods!"**

 

**Hades smiled. "You are spirited. I'll give you credit for that. Have fun in my dungeon. We'll check on you again in—oh, fifty or sixty years."**

 

Poseidon was glaring at his brother, so Naiche just handed to book to Will, who started reading quickly.


	4. I Take The Worst Bath Ever

**I TAKE THE WORST BATH EVER**

 

**My sword reappeared in my pocket.**

 

**Yeah, great timing. Now I could attack the walls all I wanted. My cell had no bars, no windows, not even a door. The skeletal guards shoved me straight through a wall, and it became solid behind us. I wasn't sure if the room was airtight. Probably. Hades' dungeon was meant for dead people, and they don't breathe. So forget fifty or sixty years. I'd be dead in fifty or sixty minutes. Meanwhile, if Hades wasn't lying, some big trap was going to be sprung in New York by the end of the day, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.**

 

Poseidon snarled. "Hades…"

 

"The dungeon isn't airtight." The Lord of the Dead quickly reassured his brother. "And I apologize, Percy. And to you as well, Nico." Both Demigods gave him small smiles.

 

**I sat on the cold stone floor, feeling miserable. I don't remember dozing off. Then again, it must've been about seven in the morning, mortal time, and I'd been through a lot. I dreamed I was on the porch of Rachel's beach house in St. Thomas. The sun was rising over the Caribbean. Dozens of wooded islands dotted the sea, and white sails cut across the water. The smell of salt air made me wonder if I would ever see the ocean again.**

 

**Rachel's parents sat at the patio table while a personal chef fixed them omelets. Mr. Dare was dressed in a white linen suit. He was reading The Wall Street Journal. The lady across the table was probably Mrs. Dare, though all I could see of her were hot pink fingernails and the cover of Condé Nast Traveler. Why she'd be reading about vacations while she was on vacation, I wasn't sure.**

 

"Rich people." Luca muttered as he rolled his eyes.

 

**Rachel stood at the porch railing and sighed. She wore Bermuda shorts and her van Gogh T-shirt.**

 

"You remembered his name?" Annabeth asked Percy skeptically, but he just shrugged.

 

**(Yeah, Rachel was trying to teach me about art, but don't get too impressed. I only remembered the dude's name because he cut his ear off.)**

 

"That makes more sense." Most of the Demigods nodded and laughed, and a few of the gods smiled.

 

**I wondered if she was thinking about me, and how much it sucked that I wasn't with them on vacation. I know that's what** **_I_ ** **was thinking.**

 

**Then the scene changed. I was in St. Louis, standing downtown under the Arch. I'd been there before. In fact, I'd almost fallen to my death there before.**

 

" _WHAT_?" Poseidon screamed, but Percy just waved his hand.

 

"On my first quest, but I fell into the water so it was fine." The Lord of the Seas sighed in relief and slumped back into his chair.

 

**Over the city, a thunderstorm boiled—a wall of absolute black with lightning streaking across the sky. A few blocks away, swarms of emergency vehicles gathered with their lights flashing. A column of dust rose from a mound of rubble, which I realized was a collapsed skyscraper.**

 

**A nearby reporter was yelling into her microphone: "Officials are describing this as a structural failure, Dan, though no one seems to know if it is related to the storm conditions."**

 

**Wind whipped her hair. The temperature was dropping rapidly, like ten degrees just since I'd been standing there.**

 

**"Thankfully, the building had been abandoned for demolition," she said. "But police have evacuated all nearby buildings for fear the collapse might trigger—"**

 

**She faltered as a mighty groan cut through the sky. A blast of lightning hit the center of the darkness. The entire city shook. The air glowed, and every hair on my body stood up. The blast was so powerful I knew it could only be one thing: Zeus's master bolt. It should have vaporized its target, but the dark cloud only staggered backward. A smoky fist appeared out of the clouds. It smashed another tower, and the whole thing collapsed like children's blocks.**

 

Zeus grinned and gripped his bolt.

 

**The reporter screamed. People ran through the streets. Emergency lights flashed. I saw a streak of silver in the sky—a chariot pulled by reindeer, but it wasn't Santa Claus driving. It was Artemis, riding the storm, shooting shafts of moonlight into the darkness. A fiery golden comet crossed her path . . . maybe her brother Apollo.**

 

Apollo and Hermes started cheering, while Artemis rolled her eyes at them.

 

**One thing was clear: Typhon had made it to the Mississippi River. He was halfway across the U.S., leaving destruction in his wake, and the gods were barely slowing him down.**

 

 

**The mountain of darkness loomed above me. A foot the size of Yankee Stadium was about to smash me when a voice hissed, "** **_Percy_ ** **!"**

 

**I lunged out blindly. Before I was fully awake, I had Nico pinned to the floor of the cell with the edge of my sword at his throat.**

 

"Dammmmmnnnnnnn" Apollo looked at Percy with an eyebrow raised. "Reflexes much?"

 

**"Want . . . to . . . rescue," he choked.**

 

**Anger woke me up fast, "Oh, yeah? And why should I trust you?"**

 

**"No . . . choice?" he gagged.**

 

**I wished he hadn't said something logical like that. I let him go. Nico curled into a ball and made retching sounds while his throat recovered. Finally he got to his feet, eyeing my sword warily. His own blade was sheathed. I suppose if he'd wanted to kill me, he could've done it while I slept. Still, I didn't trust him.**

 

Percy winced. "Sorry, Nico. You know I trust you with my life, right?"

 

The son of Hades smiled slightly and nodded. "'Course, dumbass." The Demigods all erupted in laughter at the mock-offended look on Percy's face.

 

**"We have to get out of here," he said.**

 

**"Why?" I said. "Does your dad want to talk to me again?"**

 

**He winced. "Percy, I swear on the River Styx, I didn't know what he was planning."**

 

**"You know what your dad is like!"**

 

**"He tricked me. He promised—" Nico held up his hands. "Look . . . right now, we need to leave. I put the guards to sleep, but it won't last."**

 

**I wanted to strangle him again. Unfortunately, he was right. We didn't have time to argue, and I couldn't escape on my own. He pointed at the wall. A whole section vanished, revealing a corridor.**

 

**"Come on." Nico led the way. I wished I had Annabeth's invisibility hat, but as it turned out, I didn't need it. Every time we came to a skeleton guard, Nico just pointed at it, and its glowing eyes dimmed. Unfortunately, the more Nico did it, the more tired he seemed. We walked through a maze of corridors filled with guards. By the time we reached a kitchen staffed by skeletal cooks and servants, we were practically carrying Nico. He managed to put all the dead to sleep but nearly passed out himself. Idragged him out of the servants' entrance and into the Fields of Asphodel.**

 

**I almost felt relieved until I heard the sound of bronze gongs high in the castle.**

 

**"Alarms," Nico murmured sleepily.**

 

**"What do we do?"**

 

**He yawned then frowned like he was trying to remember. "How about . . . run?"**

 

**Running with a drowsy child of Hades was more like doing a three-legged race with a life-size rag doll. We lugged him along, holding my sword in front of me. The spirits of the dead made way like the Celestial bronze was a blazing fire.**

 

**The sound of gongs rolled across the fields. Ahead loomed the walls of Erebos, but the longer we walked, the farther away they seemed. I was about to collapse from exhaustion when I heard a familiar "** **_WOOOOOF_ ** **!"**

 

**Mrs. O'Leary bounded out of nowhere and ran circles around us, ready to play.**

 

**"Good girl.'" I said. "Can you give us a ride to the Styx?"**

 

**The word Styx got her excited. She probably thought I meant** **_sticks_ ** **. She jumped a few times, chased her tail just to teach it who was boss, and then calmed down enough for me to push Nico onto her back. I climb aboard pulling Phoenix up after me, and she raced toward the gates. She leaped straight over the EZ-DEATH line, sending guards sprawling and causing more alarms to blare. Cerberus barked, but he sounded more excited than angry, like:** **_Can I play too?_ **

 

**Fortunately, he didn't follow us, and Mrs. O'Leary kept running. She didn't stop until we were far upriver and the fires of Erebos had disappeared in the murk.**

 

**Nico slid off Mrs. O'Leary's back and crumpled in a heap on the black sand. I took out a square of ambrosia—part of the emergency god-food I always kept with me. It was a little bashed up, but Nico chewed it.**

 

**"Uh," he mumbled. "Better."**

 

**"Your powers drain you too much," I noted.**

 

**He nodded sleepily. "With great power . . . comes great need to take a nap. Wake me up later."**

 

The room erupted into laughter, and Nico turned bright red. Will continued after the laughter died down.

 

**"Whoa, zombie dude." I caught him before he could pass out again. "We're at the river. You need to tell me what to do."**

 

**I fed him the last of my ambrosia, which was a little dangerous. The stuff can heal demigods, but it can also burn us to ashes if we eat too much. Fortunately, it seemed to do the trick. Nico shook his head a few times and struggled to his feet.**

 

**"My father will be coming soon," he said. "We should hurry."**

 

**The River Styx's current swirled with strange objects—broken toys, ripped-up college diplomas, wilted homecoming corsages—all the dreams people had thrown away as they'd passed from life into death. Looking at the black water, I could think of about three million places I'd rather swim.**

 

"So could I." Naiche muttered, looking disgusted.

 

**"So . . . I just jump in?"**

 

"Please don't" Poseidon looked like he was going to be sick.

 

**"You have to prepare yourself first," Nico said, "or the river will destroy you. It will burn away your body and soul."**

 

**"Sounds fun," I muttered.**

 

**"This is no joke," Nico warned. "There is only one way to stay anchored to your mortal life. You have to . . ."**

 

**He glanced behind me and his eyes widened.**

 

**I turned and found myself face-to-face with a Greek warrior. For a second I thought he was Ares, because this guy looked exactly like the god of war—tall and buff, with a cruel scarred face and closely shaved black hair. He wore a white tunic and bronze armor. He held a plumed war helm under his arm. But his eyes were human—pale green like a shallow sea—and a bloody arrow stuck out of his left calf, just above the ankle.**

 

**I stunk at Greek names, but even I knew the greatest warrior of all time, who had died from a wounded heel.**

 

**"Achilles," I said. The ghost nodded.**

 

**"I warned the other one not to follow my path. Now I will warn you."**

 

**"Luke? You spoke with Luke?"**

 

**"Do not do this," he said. "It will make you powerful. But it will also make you weak. Your prowess in combat will be beyond any mortal's, but your weaknesses, your failings will increase as well."**

 

**"You mean I'll have a bad heel?" I said. "Couldn't I just, like, wear something besides sandals? No offense." He stared down at his bloody foot.**

 

**"The heel is only my physical weakness, demigod. My mother, Thetis, held me there when she dipped me in the Styx. What really killed me was my own arrogance. Beware! Turn back!"**

 

**He meant it. I could hear the regret and bitterness in his voice. He was honestly trying to save me from a terrible fate.**

 

**Then again, Luke had been here, and he hadn't turned back.**

 

**_That's_ ** **why Luke had been able to host the spirit of Kronos without his body disintegrating. This is how he'd prepared himself, and why he seemed impossible to kill. He had bathed in the River Styx and taken on the powers of the greatest mortal hero, Achilles. He was invincible.**

 

Athena nodded thoughtfully.

 

**"I have to," I said. "Otherwise I don't stand a chance." Achilles lowered his head.**

 

**"Let the gods witness I tried. Hero, if you must do this, concentrate on your mortal point. Imagine one spot of your body that will remain vulnerable. This is the point where your soul will anchor your body to the world. It will be your greatest weakness, but also your only hope. No man may be completely invulnerable. Lose sight of what keeps you mortal, and the River Styx will burn you to ashes. You will cease to exist."**

 

**"I don't suppose you could tell me Luke's mortal point?" He scowled.**

 

**"Prepare yourself, foolish boy. Whether you survive this or not, you have sealed your doom!" With that happy thought, he vanished.**

 

**"Percy," Nico said, "maybe he's right."**

 

**"This was your idea."**

 

**"I know, but now that we're here—"**

 

**"Just wait on the shore. If anything happens to me . . . Well, maybe Hades will get his wish, and you'll be the child of the prophecy after all."**

 

**He didn't look pleased about that, but I didn't care.**

 

Nico scowled, "I really wasn't."

 

**Before I could change my mind, I concentrated on the small of my back—a tiny point just opposite my navel. It was well defended when I wore my armor. It would be hard to hit by accident, and few enemies would aim for it on purpose. No place was perfect, but this seemed right to me, and a lot more dignified than, like, my armpit or something.**

 

Ares turned to Percy with a grin, but the Demigod just raised an eyebrow.

 

"I don't have the curse anymore."

 

Ares seemed to slump in his seat, just before he was doused with water.

 

Poseidon glared at him from his seat. "If you try to hurt my son…" He threatened, and Ares nodded frantically.

 

**I pictured a string, a bungee cord connecting me to the world from the small of my back. And I stepped into the river.**

 

**Imagine jumping into a pit of boiling acid. Now multiply that pain times fifty. You still won't be close to understanding what it felt like to swim in the Styx. I planned to walk in slow and courageous like a real hero. As soon as the water touched my legs, my muscles turned to jelly and I fell face-first into the current.**

 

"Can't blame you." Zeus said nodding. "I bet even Ares would have done it." Ares, wisely, said nothing.

 

**I submerged completely. For the first time in my life, I couldn't breathe underwater. I finally understood the panic of drowning. Every nerve in my body burned. I was dissolving in the water. I saw faces—Rachel, Grover, Tyson, my mother—but they faded as soon as they appeared.**

 

**"Percy," my mom said.  "I give you my blessing."**

 

**"Be safe, brother!" Tyson pleaded.**

 

**"Enchiladas!" Grover said. I wasn't sure where that came from, but it didn't seem to help much. I was losing the fight. The pain was too much. My hands and feet were melting into the water, my soul was being ripped from my body. I couldn't remember who I was. The pain of Kronos's scythe had been nothing compared to this.**

 

Poseidon's hair had turned white, and his eyes were panicked.

 

**_The cord_ ** **, a familiar voice said.** **_Remember your lifeline, dummy!_ **

 

**Suddenly there was a tug in my lower back. The current pulled at me, but it wasn't carrying me away anymore. I imagined the string in my back keeping me tied to the shore.**

 

**"Hold on, Seaweed Brain." It was Annabeth's voice, much clearer now. "You're not getting away from me that easily."**

 

"I can see that, your lifeline being Annabeth." Nico said, and I nodded.

 

"You two are truly soul mates in ever sense of the word." Will commented, before continuing reading. Percy and Annabeth both turned red as both Poseidon and Athena, and the rest of the gods. looked at them in shock.

 

**The cord strengthened.**

 

**I could see Annabeth now—standing barefoot above me on the canoe lake pier. I'd fallen out of my canoe. That was it. She was reaching out her hand to haul me up, and she was trying not to laugh. She wore her orange camp T-shirt and jeans. Her hair was tucked up in her Yankees cap, which was strange because that should have made her invisible.**

 

**"You are such an idiot sometimes." She smiled. "Come on. Take my hand."**

 

**Memories came flooding back to me—sharper and more colorful. I stopped dissolving.**

 

**My name was Percy Jackson. I reached up and took Annabeth's hand.**

 

**Suddenly I burst out of the river. I collapsed on the sand, and Nico scrambled back in surprise.**

 

**"Are you okay?" he stammered. "Your skin. Oh, gods. You're hurt!"**

 

**My arms were bright red. I felt like every inch of my body had been broiled over a slow flame. I looked around for Annabeth, though I knew she wasn't here. It had seemed so real.**

 

**"I'm fine . . . I think." The color of my skin turned back to normal. The pain subsided. Mrs. O'Leary came up and sniffed me with concern. Apparently I smelled really interesting.**

 

**"Do you feel stronger?" Nico asked. Before I could decide what I felt, a voice boomed,**

 

**"THERE!"**

 

**An army of the dead marched toward us. A hundred skeletal Roman legionnaires led the way with shields and spears. Behind them came an equal number of British redcoats with bayonets fixed. In the middle of the host, Hades himself rode a black-and-gold chariot pulled by nightmare horses, their eyes and manes smoldering with fire.**

 

"Hades…" Poseidon muttered, and said god held his hands up in surrender.

 

**"You will not escape me this time, Percy Jackson!" Hades bellowed. "Destroy him!"**

 

**"Father, no!" Nico shouted, but it was too late. The front line of Roman zombies lowered their spears and advanced. Mrs. O'Leary growled and got ready to pounce. Maybe that's what set me off. I didn't want them hurting my dog. Plus, I was tired of Hades being a big bully. If I was going to die, I might as well go down fighting.**

 

**I yelled, and the River Styx exploded.**

 

The gods exploded into chaos.

 

"You can control the Styx!"

"What in Chaos!"

"By the Fates!"

"That is so cool!"

 

It took a long tome to get them to calm down so Will could start reading.

 

**A black tidal wave smashed into the legionnaires. Spears and shields flew everywhere. Roman zombies began to dissolve, smoke coming off their bronze helmets.**

 

**The redcoats lowered their bayonets, but I didn't wait for them. I charged.**

 

**It was the stupidest thing I've ever done. A hundred muskets fired at me, point blank. All of them missed. I crashed into their line and started hacking with Riptide. Bayonets jabbed. Swords slashed. Guns reloaded and fired. Nothing touched me.**

 

**I whirled through the ranks, slashing redcoats to dust, one after the other. My mind went on autopilot: stab, dodge, cut, deflect, roll. Riptide was no longer a sword. It was an arc of pure destruction.**

 

**I broke through the enemy line and leaped into the black chariot.**

 

**Hades raised his staff. A bolt of dark energy shot toward me, but I deflected it off my blade and slammed into him. The god and I both tumbled out of the chariot.**

 

**The next thing I knew, my knee was planted on Hades' chest. I was holding the collar of his royal robes in one fist, and the tip of my sword was poised right over his face.**

 

**Silence. The army did nothing to defend their master. I glanced back and realized why. There was nothing left of them but weapons in the sand and piles of smoking, empty uniforms. I had destroyed them all.**

 

Hades put his head in his hands. "Well, that was stupid of me." He muttered, and Hestia pat his shoulder comfortingly.

 

**Hades swallowed. "Now, Jackson, listen here. . . ."**

 

**He was immortal. There was no way I could kill him, but gods can be wounded. I knew that firsthand, and I figured a sword in the face wouldn't feel too good.**

 

**"Just because I'm a nice person," I snarled, "I'll let you go. But first, tell me about that trap!"**

 

**Hades melted into nothing, leaving me holding empty black robes.**

 

**I cursed and got to my feet, breathing heavily. Now that the danger was over, I realized how tired I was. Every muscle in my body ached. I looked down at my clothes. They were slashed to pieces and full of bullet holes, but I was fine. Not a mark on me.**

 

**Nico's mouth hung open. "You just . . . with a sword . . . you just—"**

 

"I can see where the shock came from." Apollo said, looking at Percy in shock, along with many other gods.

 

**"I think the river thing worked," I said.**

 

**"Oh gee," he said sarcastically.** **_"You think?"_ **

 

**Mrs. O'Leary barked happily and wagged her tail. She bounded around, sniffing empty uniforms and hunting for bones. I lifted Hades robe. I could still see the tormented faces shimmering in the fabric.**

 

**I walked to the edge of the river. "Be free."**

 

**I dropped the robe in the water and watched as it swirled away, dissolving in the current.**

 

**"Go back to your father," I told Nico. "Tell him he owes me for letting him go. Find out what's going to happen to Mount Olympus and convince him to help."**

 

**Nico stared at me. "I . . . I can't. He'll hate me now. I mean . . . even more."**

 

**"You have to," I said. "You owe me too."**

 

**His ears turned red. "Percy, I told you I was sorry. Please . . . let me come with you. I want to fight."**

 

**"You'll be more help down here."**

 

**"You mean you don't trust me anymore," he said miserably. I didn't answer. I didn't know what I meant. I was too stunned by what I'd just done in battle to think clearly.**

 

Percy turned to Nico to reassure him of his trust in the younger boy once more, but was waved off.

 

**"Just go back to your father," I said, trying not to sound too harsh. "Work on him. You're the only person who might be able to get him to listen."**

 

**"That's a depressing thought." Nico sighed. "All right. I'll do my best. Besides, he's still hiding something from me about my mom. Maybe I can find out what."**

 

**"Good luck. Now Mrs. O'Leary and I have to go."**

 

**"Where?" Nico said.**

 

**I looked at the cave entrance and thought about the long climb back to the world of the living. "To get this war started. It's time I found Luke."**

 

Poseidon let out a weak whimper, but took the book from Will.


	5. Two Snakes Save My Life

"Two Snakes Save My Life," the Lord of the Seas started.

 

**I love New York. You can pop out of the Underworld in Central Park, hail a taxi, head down Fifth Avenue with a giant hellhound loping along behind you, and nobody even looks at you funny.**

 

**Of course, the Mist helped. People probably couldn't see Mrs. O'Leary, or maybe they thought she was a large, loud, very friendly truck.**

 

**I took the risk of using my mom's cell phone to call Annabeth for the second time. I'd called her once from the tunnel but only reached her voice mail. I'd gotten surprisingly good reception, seeing as I was at the mythological center of the world and all, but I didn't want to see what my mom's roaming charges were going to be.**

 

**This time, Annabeth picked up.**

 

**"Hey," I said. "You get my message?"**

 

**"Percy, where have you been? Your message said almost nothing! We've been worried sick!"**

 

**"I'll fill you in later," I said, though how I was going to do that I had no idea. "Where are you?"**

 

**"We're on our way like you asked, almost to the Queens—Midtown Tunnel. But, Percy, what are you planning? We've left the camp virtually undefended, and there's no way the gods—"**

 

**"Trust me," I said. "I'll see you there."**

 

**I hung up. My hands were trembling. I wasn't sure if it was a leftover reaction from my dip in the Styx, or anticipation of what I was about to do. If this didn't work, being invulnerable wasn't going to save me from getting blasted to bits.**

 

**It was late afternoon when the taxi dropped me at the Empire State Building. Mrs. O'Leary bounded up and down Fifth Avenue, licking cabs and sniffing hot dog carts. Nobody seemed to notice her, although people did swerve away and look confused when she came close.**

 

**I whistled for her to heel as three white vans pulled up to the curb. They said** **_Delphi Strawberry Service_ ** **, which was the cover name for Camp Half-Blood. I'd never seen all three vans in the same place at once, though I knew they shuttled our fresh produce into the city.**

 

**The first van was driven by Argus, our many-eyed security chief. The other two were driven by harpies, who are basically demonic human/chicken hybrids with bad attitudes. We used the harpies mostly for cleaning the camp, but they did pretty well in midtown traffic too.**

 

**The doors slid open. A bunch of campers climbed out, some of them looking a little green from the long drive. I was glad so many had come: Pollux, Silena Beauregard, the Stoll brothers, Michael Yew, Jake Mason, Katie Gardner, and Annabeth, along with most of their siblings. Chiron came out of the van last. His horse half was compacted into his magic wheelchair, so he used the handicap lift. The Ares cabin wasn't here, but I tried not to get too angry about that. Clarisse was a stubborn idiot. End of story.**

 

**I did a head count: forty campers in all.**

 

**Not many to fight a war, but it was still the largest group of half-bloods I'd ever seen gathered in one place outside camp. Everyone looked nervous, and I understood why. We were probably sending out so much demigod aura that every monster in the northeastern United States knew we were here.**

 

**As I looked at their faces—all these campers I'd known for so many summers—a nagging voice whispered in my mind:** **_One of them is a spy._ **

 

The Demigods shared sad looks, to the gods worry.

 

**But I couldn't dwell on that. They were my friends. I needed them.**

 

**Then I remembered Kronos's evil smile.** **_You can't count on friends. They will always let you down._ **

 

**Annabeth came up to me. She was dressed in black camouflage with her Celestial bronze knife strapped to her arm and her laptop bag slung over her shoulder—ready for stabbing or surfing the Internet, whichever came first.**

 

**She frowned. "What is it?"**

 

**"What's what?" I asked.**

 

**"You're looking at me funny."**

 

**I realized I was thinking about my strange vision of Annabeth pulling me out of the Styx River. "It's, uh, nothing." I turned to the rest of the group. "Thanks for coming, everybody. Chiron, after you."**

 

**My old mentor shook his head. "I came to wish you luck, my boy. But I make it a point never to visit Olympus unless I am summoned."**

 

**"But you're our leader."**

 

**He smiled. "I am your trainer, your teacher. That is not the same as being your leader. I will go gather what allies I can. It may not be too late to convince my brother centaurs to help. Meanwhile, you called the campers here, Percy. You are the leader."**

 

**I wanted to protest, but everybody was looking at me expectantly, even Annabeth. I took a deep breath. "Okay, like I told Annabeth on the phone, something bad is going to happen by tonight. Some kind of trap. We've got to get an audience with Zeus and convince him to defend the city. Remember, we can't take no for an answer."**

 

**I asked Argus to watch Mrs. O'Leary, which neither of them looked happy about.**

 

**Chiron shook my hand. "You'll do well, Percy. Just remember your strengths and beware your weaknesses." It sounded eerily close to what Achilles had told me. Then I remembered Chiron had taught Achilles. That didn't exactly reassure me, but I nodded and tried to give him a confident smile.**

 

 

**"Let's go," I told the campers.**

 

**A security guard was sitting behind the desk in the lobby, reading a big black book with a flower on the cover. He glanced up when we all filed in with our weapons and armor clanking. "School group? We're about to close up."**

 

**"No," I said. "Six-hundredth floor." He checked us out. His eyes were pale blue and his head was completely bald. I couldn't tell if he was human or not, but he seemed to notice our weapons, so I guess he wasn't fooled by the Mist.**

 

"He's a mortal who can see through the mist," Apollo explained. "But he was recruited by Janus to guard the doorway."

 

The Demigods nodded in understanding.

 

**"There is no six-hundredth floor, kid." He said it like it was a required line he didn't believe. "Move along."**

 

"It is required," Hermes confirmed.

 

**I leaned across the desk. "Forty demigods attract an awful lot of monsters. You really want us hanging out in your lobby?"**

 

**He thought about that. Then he hit a buzzer and the security gate swung open. "Make it quick."**

 

**"You don't want us going through the metal detectors," I added.**

 

**"Um, no," he agreed. "Elevator on the right. I guess you know the way."**

 

**I tossed him a golden drachma and we marched through.**

 

**We decided it would take two trips to get everybody up in the elevator. I went with the first group. Different elevator music was playing since my last visit—that old disco song "Stayin' Alive." A terrifying image flashed through my mind of Apollo in bell-bottom pants and a slinky silk shirt.**

 

Artemis pulled Apollo down before he could change his clothes.

 

**I was glad when the elevator doors finally dinged open. In front of us, a path of floating stones led through the clouds up to Mount Olympus, hovering six thousand feet over Manhattan.**

 

**I'd seen Olympus several times, but it still took my breath away. The mansions glittered gold and white against the sides of the mountain. Gardens bloomed on a hundred terraces. Scented smoke rose from braziers that lined the winding streets. And right at the top of the snow-capped crest rose the main palace of the gods. It looked as majestic as ever, but something seemed wrong. Then I realized the mountain was silent—no music, no voices, no laughter.**

 

**Annabeth studied me. "You look . . . different," she decided. "Where exactly did you go?" The elevator doors opened again, and the second group of half-bloods joined us.**

 

**"Tell you later," I said. "Come on."**

 

**We made our way across the sky bridge into the streets of Olympus. The shops were closed. The parks were empty. A couple of Muses sat on a bench strumming flaming lyres, but their hearts didn't seem to be in it. A lone Cyclops swept the street with an uprooted oak tree. A minor godling spotted us from a balcony and ducked inside, closing his shutters.**

 

**We passed under a big marble archway with statues of Zeus and Hera on either side. Annabeth made a face at the queen of the gods.**

 

**"Hate her," she muttered.**

 

**"Has she been cursing you or something?" I asked. Last year Annabeth had gotten on Hera's bad side, but Annabeth hadn't really talked about it since.**

 

Hera gave Annabeth a calculating look.

 

**"Just little stuff so far," she said. "Her sacred animal is the cow, right?"**

 

**"Right."**

 

**"So she sends cows after me." I tried not to smile.**

 

**"Cows? In San Francisco?"**

 

**"Oh, yeah. Usually I don't see them, but the cows leave me little presents all over the place—in our backyard, on the sidewalk, in the school hallways. I have to be careful where I step."**

 

**"Look!" Pollux cried, pointing toward the horizon. "What is** **_that_ ** **?"**

 

**We all froze. Blue lights were streaking across the evening sky toward Olympus like tiny comets. They seemed to be coming from all over the city, heading straight toward the mountain. As they got close, they fizzled out. We watched them for several minutes and they didn't seem to do any damage, but still it was strange.**

 

 

**"Like infrared scopes," Michael Yew muttered. "We're being targeted."**

 

**"Let's get to the palace," I said.**

 

**No one was guarding the hall of the gods. The gold-and-silver doors stood wide open. Our footsteps echoed as we walked into the throne room.**

 

**Of course, "room" doesn't really cover it. The place was the size of Madison Square Garden. High above, the blue ceiling glittered with constellations. Twelve giant empty thrones stood in a U around a hearth. In one corner, a house-size globe of water hovered in the air, and inside swam my old friend the Ophiotaurus, half-cow, half-serpent.**

 

"Your old friend?" Poseidon asked, raising an eyebrow, but Percy just shrugged and nodded.

 

**"Moooo!" he said happily, turning in a circle. Despite all the serious stuff going on, I had to smile. Two years ago we'd spent a lot of time trying to save the Ophiotaurus from the Titans, and I'd gotten kind of fond of him. He seemed to like me too, even though I'd originally thought he was a girl and named him Bessie.**

 

The throne room erupted into laughter.

 

**"Hey, man," I said. "They treating you okay?"**

 

**_"Mooo,"_ ** **Bessie answered.**

 

**We walked toward the thrones, and a woman's voice said, "Hello again, Percy Jackson. You and your friends are welcome."**

 

**Hestia stood by the hearth, poking the flames with a stick. She wore the same kind of simple brown dress as she had before, but she was a grown woman now.**

 

Everyone smiled at the goddess, who gave them kind smiles back. The room seemed to increase in temperature, or decrease in temperature, to whatever a single person found most comfortable.

 

**I bowed. "Lady Hestia."**

 

**My friends followed my example.**

 

**Hestia regarded me with her red glowing eyes. "I see you went through with your plan. You bear the curse of Achilles."**

 

**The other campers started muttering among themselves: What did she say? What about Achilles?**

**"You must be careful," Hestia warned me. "You gained much on your journey. But you are still blind to the most important truth. Perhaps a glimpse is in order."**

 

**Annabeth nudged me. "Um . . . what is she talking about?"**

 

**I stared into Hestia's eyes, and an image rushed into my mind: I saw a dark alley between red brick warehouses. A sign above one of the doors read RICHMOND IRONWORKS.**

 

**Two half-bloods crouched in the shadows—a boy about fourteen and a girl about twelve. I realized with a start that the boy was Luke. The girl was Thalia, daughter of Zeus. I was seeing a scene from back in the days when they were on the run, before Grover found them.**

 

**Luke carried a bronze knife. Thalia had her spear and shield of terror, Aegis. Luke and Thalia both looked hungry and lean, with wild animal eyes, like they were used to being attacked.**

 

Thalia huffed. "We were."

 

**"Are you sure?" Thalia asked.**

 

**Luke nodded. "Something down here. I sense it."**

 

**A rumble echoed from the alley, like someone had banged on a sheet of metal. The half-bloods crept forward.**

 

**Old crates were stacked on a loading dock. Thalia and Luke approached with their weapons ready. A curtain of corrugated tin quivered as if something were behind it.**

 

**Thalia glanced at Luke. He counted silently: One, two, three! He ripped away the tin, and a little girl flew at him with a hammer.**

 

 

**"Whoa!" Luke said.**

 

**The girl had tangled blond hair and was wearing flannel pajamas. She couldn't have been more than seven, but she would've brained Luke if he hadn't been so fast.**

 

**He grabbed her wrist, and the hammer skittered across the cement.**

 

**The little girl fought and kicked. "No more monsters! Go away!"**

 

**"It's okay!" Luke struggled to hold her. "Thalia, put your shield up. You're scaring her."**

 

**Thalia tapped Aegis, and it shrank into a silver bracelet. "Hey, it's all right," she said. "We're not going to hurt you. I'm Thalia. This is Luke."**

 

**"Monsters!"**

 

**"No," Luke promised. "But we know all about monsters. We fight them too." Slowly, the girl stopped kicking.**

 

**She studied Luke and Thalia with large intelligent gray eyes.**

 

**"You're like me?" she said suspiciously.**

 

**"Yeah," Luke said. "We're . . . well, it's hard to explain, but we're monster fighters. Where's your family?"**

 

**"My family hates me," the girl said. "They don't want me. I ran away."**

 

**Thalia and Luke locked eyes. I knew they both related to what she was saying.**

 

**"What's your name, kiddo?" Thalia asked.**

 

**"Annabeth." Luke smiled. "Nice name. I tell you what, Annabeth—you're pretty fierce. We could use a fighter like you."**

 

**Annabeth's eyes widened. "You could?"**

 

**"Oh, yeah." Luke turned his knife and offered her the handle. "How'd you like a real monster-slaying weapon? This is Celestial bronze. Works a lot better than a hammer."**

 

**Maybe under most circumstances, offering a seven-year-old kid a knife would not be a good idea, but when you're a half-blood, regular rules kind of go out the window.**

 

**Annabeth gripped the hilt.**

 

**"Knives are only for the bravest and quickest fighters," Luke explained. "They don't have the reach or power of a sword, but they're easy to conceal and they can find weak spots in your enemy's armor. It takes a clever warrior to use a knife. I have a feeling you're pretty clever."**

 

**Annabeth stared at him with adoration. "I am!"**

 

**Thalia grinned. "We'd better get going, Annabeth. We have a safe house on the James River. We'll get you some clothes and food."**

 

**"You're . . . you're not going to take me back to my family?" she said. "Promise?"**

 

**Luke put his hand on her shoulder. "You're part of our family now. And I promise I won't let anything hurt you. I'm not going to fail you like our families did us. Deal?"**

 

**"Deal!" Annabeth said happily.**

 

**"Now, come on," Thalia said. "We can't stay put for long!"**

 

**The scene shifted. The three demigods were running through the woods. It must've been several days later, maybe even weeks. All of them looked beat up, like they'd seen some battles. Annabeth was wearing new clothes—jeans and an oversize army jacket.**

 

**"Just a little farther!" Luke promised. Annabeth stumbled, and he took her hand. Thalia brought up the rear, brandishing her shield like she was driving back whatever pursued them. She was limping on her left leg.**

 

**They scrambled to a ridge and looked down the other side at a white Colonial house—May Castellan's place.**

 

**"All right," Luke said, breathing hard. "I'll just sneak in and grab some food and medicine. Wait here."**

 

**"Luke, are you sure?" Thalia asked. "You swore you'd never come back here. If she catches you—"**

 

**"We don't have a choice!" he growled. "They burned our nearest safe house. And you've got to treat that leg wound."**

 

**"This is your house?" Annabeth said with amazement.**

 

**"It was my house," Luke muttered. "Believe me, if it wasn't an emergency—"**

 

**"Is your mom really horrible?" Annabeth asked. "Can we see her?"**

 

**"No!" Luke snapped.**

 

**Annabeth shrank away from him as though his anger surprised her.**

 

**"I . . . I'm sorry," he said. "Just wait here. I promise everything will be okay. Nothing's going to hurt you. I'll be back—"**

 

**A brilliant golden flash illuminated the woods. The demigods winced, and a man's voice boomed: "You should not have come home."**

 

**The vision shut off. My knees buckled, but Annabeth grabbed me.**

 

**"Percy! What happened?"**

 

**"Did . . . did you see that?" I asked.**

 

**"See what?"**

 

**I glanced at Hestia, but the goddess's face was expressionless. I remembered something she'd told me in the woods:** **_If you are to understand your enemy Luke, you must understand his family._ ** **But why had she shown me those scenes?**

 

"They ended up being very important," Percy told Hestia, who smiled and nodded at him.

 

**"How long was I out?" I muttered. Annabeth knit her eyebrows.**

 

**"Percy, you weren't out at all. You just looked at Hestia for like one second and collapsed."**

 

**I could feel everyone's eyes on me. I couldn't afford to look weak. Whatever those visions meant, I had to stay focused on our mission.**

 

**"Um, Lady Hestia," I said, "we've come on urgent business. We need to see—"**

 

**"We know what you need," a man's voice said. I shuddered, because it was the same voice I'd heard in the vision.**

 

**A god shimmered into existence next to Hestia. He looked about twenty-five, with curly salt-and pepper hair and elfish features. He wore a military pilot's flight suit, with tiny bird's wings fluttering on his helmet and his black leather boots. In the crook of his arm was a long staff entwined with two living serpents.**

**"I will leave you now," Hestia said. She bowed to the aviator and disappeared into smoke. I understood why she was so anxious to go. Hermes, the God of Messengers, did not look happy.**

 

Hermes snorted. "Gee, I wonder why."

 

**"Hello, Percy." His brow furrowed as though he was annoyed with me, and I wondered if he somehow knew about the vision I'd just had. I wanted to ask why he'd been in May Castellan's house that night, and what had happened after he caught Luke. I remembered the first time I'd met Luke at Camp Half-Blood. I'd asked him if he'd ever met his father, and he'd looked at me bitterly and said, Once. But I could tell from Hermes's expression that this was not the time to ask.**

 

**I bowed awkwardly. "Lord Hermes."**

 

**_Oh, sure,_ ** **one of the snakes said in my mind.** **_Don't say hi to us. We're just reptiles._ **

 

**_George_ ** **, the other snake scolded.** **_Be polite_ ** **.**

 

**"Hello, George," I said. "Hey, Martha."**

 

**_Did you bring us a rat?_ ** **George asked.**

 

**_George, stop it,_ ** **Martha said.** **_He's busy!_ **

 

**_Too busy for rats?_ ** **George said.** **_That's just sad_ ** **.**

 

**I decided it was better not to get into it with George. "Um, Hermes," I said. "We need to talk to Zeus. It's important."**

 

**Hermes's eyes were steely cold. "I am his messenger. May I take a message?" Behind me, the other demigods shifted restlessly. This wasn't going as planned. Maybe if I tried to speak with Hermes in private . . .**

 

**"You guys," I said. "Why don't you do a sweep of the city? Check the defenses. See who's left in Olympus. Meet Annabeth and me back here in thirty minutes."**

 

**Silena frowned. "But—"**

 

**"That's a good idea," Annabeth said. "Connor and Travis, you two lead."**

 

**The Stolls seemed to like that—getting handed an important responsibility right in front of their dad. They usually never led anything except toilet paper raids. "We're on it!" Travis said.**

 

**They herded the others out of the throne room, leaving Annabeth and me with Hermes.**

 

**"My lord," Annabeth said. "Kronos is going to attack New York. You must suspect that. My mother must have foreseen it."**

 

**"Your mother," Hermes grumbled. He scratched his back with his caduceus, and George and Martha muttered** **_Ow, ow, ow_ ** **. "Don't get me started on your mother, young lady. She's the reason I'm here at all. Zeus didn't want any of us to leave the front line. But your mother kept pestering him nonstop, 'It's a trap, it's a diversion, blah, blah, blah.' She wanted to come back herself, but Zeus was not going to let his number one strategist leave his side while we're battling Typhon. And so naturally he sent** **_me_ ** **to talk to you."**

 

**"But it is a trap!" Annabeth insisted. "Is Zeus blind?" Thunder rolled through the sky.**

 

**"I'd watch the comments, girl," Hermes warned. "Zeus is not blind or deaf. He has not left Olympus completely undefended."**

 

**"But there are these blue lights—"**

 

**"Yes, yes. I saw them. Some mischief by that insufferable goddess of magic, Hecate,"**

 

Naiche nodded. "Yeah, pure magical energy. Really powerful, really dangerous. Thank the gods something was stopping them from hitting, or else the city would have been destroyed." He glared at the ground. Upset that his mother had abandoned them, though they had reconciled in the end.

 

**"I'd wager, but you may have noticed they aren't doing any damage. Olympus has strong magical wards. Besides, Aeolus, the King of the Winds, has sent his most powerful minions to guard the citadel. No one save the gods can approach Olympus from the air. They would be knocked out of the sky."**

 

**I raised my hand. "Um . . . what about that materializing/teleporting thing you guys do?"**

 

**"That's a form of air travel too, Jackson. Very fast, but the wind gods are faster. No, if Kronos wants Olympus, he'll have to march through the entire city with his army and take the elevators! Can you see him doing this?"**

 

**Hermes made it sound pretty ridiculous—hordes of monsters going up in the elevator twenty at a time, listening to "Stayin' Alive." Still, I didn't like it.**

 

**"Maybe just a few of you could come back," I suggested. Hermes shook his head impatiently.**

 

**"Percy Jackson, you don't understand. Typhon is our greatest enemy."**

 

**"I thought that was Kronos." The god's eyes glowed.**

 

**"No, Percy. In the old days, Olympus was almost overthrown by Typhon. He is husband of Echidna—"**

 

**"Met her at the Arch," I muttered. "Not nice."**

 

**"—and the father of all monsters. We can never forget how close he came to destroying us all; how he humiliated us! We were more powerful back in the old days. Now we can expect no help from Poseidon because he's fighting his own war. Hades sits in his realm and does nothing, and Demeter and Persephone follow his lead. It will take all our remaining power to oppose the storm giant. We can't divide our forces, nor wait until he gets to New York. We have to battle him now. And we're making progress."**

 

**"Progress?" I said. "He nearly destroyed St. Louis."**

 

**"Yes," Hermes admitted. "But he destroyed only half of Kentucky. He's slowing down. Losing power." I didn't want to argue, but it sounded like Hermes was trying to convince himself.**

 

**In the corner, the Ophiotaurus mooed sadly.**

 

**"Please, Hermes," Annabeth said. "You said my mother wanted to come. Did she give you any messages for us?"**

 

**"Messages," he muttered. "'It'll be a great job,' they told me. 'Not much work. Lots of worshippers.' Hmph. Nobody cares what I have to say. It's always about other people's messages.”**

 

**_Rodents_ ** **, George mused.** **_I'm in it for the rodents._ **

 

**_Shhh_ ** **, Martha scolded.** **_We care what Hermes has to say. Don't we, George?_ **

 

**_Oh, absolutely. Can we go back to the battle now? I want to do laser mode again. That's fun._ **

 

**"Quiet, both of you," Hermes grumbled. The god looked at Annabeth, who was doing her big-pleading-gray-eyes thing.**

 

The Demigods cracked up, despite the tension, as Annabeth hit Percy atop the head.

 

**"Bah," Hermes said. "Your mother said to warn you that you are on your own. You must hold Manhattan without the help of the gods. As if I didn't know that. Why they pay her to be the wisdom goddess, I'm not sure."**

 

**"Anything else?" Annabeth asked.**

 

**"She said you should try plan twenty-three. She said you would know what that meant." Annabeth's face paled.**

 

**Obviously she knew what it meant, and she didn't like it.**

 

**"Go on."**

 

**"Last thing." Hermes looked at me. "She said to tell Percy: 'Remember the rivers.' And, um, something about staying away from her daughter."**

 

**I'm not sure whose face was redder: Annabeth's or mine.**

 

**"Thank you, Hermes," Annabeth said. "And I . . . I wanted to say . . . I'm sorry about Luke."**

 

**The god's expression hardened like he'd turned to marble. "You should've left that subject alone."**

 

**Annabeth stepped back nervously. "Sorry?"**

 

**"SORRY doesn't cut it!"**

 

**George and Martha curled around the caduceus, which shimmered and changed into something that looked suspiciously like a high-voltage cattle prod.**

 

"Hermes," Athena threatened. "If you hurt my daughter…"

 

**"You should've saved him when you had the chance," Hermes growled at Annabeth.**

 

**"You're the only one who could have." I tried to step between them.**

 

**"What are you talking about? Annabeth didn't—"**

 

**"Don't defend her, Jackson!" Hermes turned the cattle prod toward me. "She knows exactly what I'm talking about."**

 

Poseidon turned a glare on Hermes.

 

**"Maybe you should blame yourself!" I should've kept my mouth shut, but all I could think about was turning his attention away from Annabeth. This whole time, he hadn't been angry with me. He'd been angry with** **_her_ ** **. "Maybe if you hadn't abandoned Luke and his mom!"**

 

**Hermes raised his cattle prod. He began to grow until he was ten feet tall. I thought, Well, that's it.**

 

**But as he prepared to strike, George and Martha leaned in close and whispered something in his ear. Hermes clenched his teeth. He lowered the cattle prod, and it turned back to a staff.**

 

**"Percy Jackson," he said, "because you have taken on the curse of Achilles, I must spare you. You are in the hands of the Fates now. But you will never speak to me like that again. You have no idea how much I have sacrificed, how much—"**

 

**His voice broke, and he shrank back to human size. "My son, my greatest pride . . . my poor May . . ."**

 

**He sounded so devastated I didn't know what to say. One minute he was ready to vaporize us. Now he looked like he needed a hug.**

 

**"Look, Lord Hermes," I said. "I'm sorry, but I need to know. What happened to May? She said something about Luke's fate, and her eyes—"**

 

**Hermes glared at me, and my voice faltered. The look on his face wasn't really anger, though. It was pain. Deep, incredible pain.**

 

The same look was now painted on Hermes face.

 

**"I will leave you now," he said tightly. "I have a war to fight."**

 

**He began to shine. I turned away and made sure Annabeth did the same, because she was still frozen in shock.**

 

**_Good luck, Percy,_ ** **Martha the snake whispered.**

 

**Hermes glowed with the light of a supernova. Then he was gone. Annabeth sat at the foot of her mother's throne and cried. I wanted to comfort her, but I wasn't sure how.**

 

**"Annabeth," I said, "it's not your fault. I've never seen Hermes act that way. I guess . . . I don't know . . . he probably feels guilty about Luke. He's looking for somebody to blame. I don't know why he lashed out at you. You didn't do anything to deserve that."**

 

**Annabeth wiped her eyes. She stared at the hearth like it was her own funeral pyre.**

 

**I shifted uneasily. "Um, you didn't, right?"**

 

**She didn't answer. Her Celestial bronze knife was strapped to her arm—the same knife I'd seen in Hestia's vision. All these years, I hadn't realized it was a gift from Luke. I'd asked her many times why she preferred to fight with a knife instead of a sword, and she'd never answered me. Now I knew.**

 

**"Percy," she said. "What did you mean about Luke's mother? Did you meet her?" I nodded reluctantly.**

 

**"Nico and I visited her. She was a little . . . different." I described May Castellan, and the weird moment when her eyes had started to glow and she talked about her son's fate.**

 

**Annabeth frowned. "That doesn't make sense. But why were you visiting—" Her eyes widened. "Hermes said you bear the curse of Achilles. Hestia said the same thing. Did you . . . did you bathe in the River Styx?"**

 

**"Don't change the subject."**

 

**"Percy! Did you or not?"**

 

**"Um . . . maybe a little."**

 

**I told her the story about Hades and Nico, and how I'd defeated an army of the dead. I left out the vision of her pulling me out of the river. I still didn't quite understand that part, and just thinking about it made me embarrassed.**

 

**She shook her head in disbelief. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"**

 

**"I had no choice," I said. "It's the only way I can stand up to Luke."**

 

**"You mean . . .** **_di immortales_ ** **, of course! That's why Luke didn't die. He went to the Styx and . . . Oh no, Luke. What were you thinking?"**

 

**"So now you're worried about Luke again," I grumbled. She stared at me like I'd just dropped from space.**

 

**"What?"**

 

**"Forget it," I muttered.**

 

**I wondered what Hermes had meant about Annabeth not saving Luke when she'd had the chance. Clearly, she wasn't telling me something. But at the moment I wasn't in the mood to ask. The last thing I wanted to hear about was more of her history with Luke.**

 

**"The point is he didn't die in the Styx," I said. "Neither did I. Now I have to face him. We have to defend Olympus."**

 

**Annabeth was still studying my face, like she was trying to see differences since my swim in the Styx. "I guess you're right. My mom mentioned—"**

 

**"Plan twenty-three." She rummaged in her pack and pulled out Daedalus' laptop.**

 

**The blue Delta symbol glowed on the top when she booted it up. She opened a few files and started to read.**

 

**"Here it is," she said. "Gods, we have a lot of work to do."**

 

**"One of Daedalus' inventions?"**

 

**"A lot of inventions . . . dangerous ones. If my mother wants me to use this plan, she must think things are very bad." She looked at me. "What about her message to you: 'Remember the rivers'? What does that mean?"**

 

**I shook my head. As usual, I had no clue what the gods were telling me. Which rivers was I supposed to remember? The Styx? The Mississippi? Just then the Stoll brothers ran in to the throne room.**

 

**"You need to see this," Connor said. "Now."**

 

**The blue lights in the sky had stopped, so at first I didn't understand what the problem was. The other campers had gathered in a small park at the edge of the mountain. They were clustered at the guardrail, looking down at Manhattan. The railing was lined with those tourist binoculars, where you could deposit one golden drachma and see the city. Campers were using every single one.**

 

**I looked down at the city. I could see almost everything from here—the East River and the Hudson River carving the shape of Manhattan, the grid of streets, the lights of skyscrapers, the dark stretch of Central Park in the north. Everything looked normal, but something was wrong. I felt it in my bones before I realized what it was.**

 

 

**"I don't . . . hear anything," Annabeth said.**

 

**That was the problem.**

 

**Even from this height, I should've heard the noise of the city—millions of people bustling around, thousands of cars and machines—the hum of a huge metropolis. You don't think about it when you live in New York, but it's always there. Even in the dead of night, New York is never silent.**

 

**But it was now.**

 

**I felt like my best friend had suddenly dropped dead.**

 

**"What did they do?" My voice sounded tight and angry. "What did they do to my city?" I pushed Michael Yew away from the binoculars and took a look.**

 

**In the streets below, traffic had stopped. Pedestrians were lying on the sidewalks, or curled up in doorways. There was no sign of violence, no wrecks, nothing like that. It was as if all the people in New York had simply decided to stop whatever they were doing and pass out.**

 

**"Are they dead?" Silena asked in astonishment. Ice coated my stomach. A line from the prophecy rang in my ears: And see the world in endless sleep. I remembered Grover's story about meeting the god Morpheus in Central Park.** **_You're lucky I'm saving my energy for the main event._ **

 

**"Not dead," I said. "Morpheus has put the entire island of Manhattan to sleep. The invasion has started."**

 

The room was silent as Will handed the book to Nico, who opened it up.


	6. Rachel Makes a Bad Deal

"Hold on, there's a note in here from the Fates." Nico pulled it out and read it aloud.

 

_Heroes and gods, we will be skipping a few chapters here._

 

_In the first chapter, Percy distributes the Demigods around Manhattan to try to hold the island, the Hunters of Artemis show up and take one of the tunnels. Annabeth activates Plan Twenty Three, which is to activate all of the bronze statues around Manhattan, and Percy makes a deal with the gods of the Hudson and East River gods._

 

_In the second chapter, Percy faces off against the Minotaur once more, and he battles Kronos, managing to escape by breaking the Brooklyn Bridge. Unfortunately, Annabeth takes a poisoned knife that would have hit Percy's mortal spot, and Michael Yew dies. You will continue reading after Silena calls Percy to tell him about Annabeth._

 

Nico finished reading the note and set the note aside.

 

"Rachel Makes a Bad Deal." All of the Demigods sigh.

 

**I grabbed Will Solace from the Apollo cabin and told the rest of his siblings to keep searching for Michael Yew. We borrowed a Yamaha FZI from a sleeping biker and drove to the Plaza Hotel at speeds that would've given my mom a heart attack. I'd never driven a motorcycle before, but it wasn't any harder than riding a pegasus.**

 

**Along the way, I noticed a lot of empty pedestals that usually held statues. Plan twenty-three seemed to be working. I didn't know if that was good or bad.**

 

**It only took us five minutes to reach the Plaza—an old-fashioned white stone hotel with a gabled blue roof, sitting at the southeast corner of Central Park.**

 

**Tactically speaking, the Plaza wasn't the best place for a headquarters. It wasn't the tallest building in town, or the most centrally located. But it had old-school style and had attracted a lot of famous demigods over the years, like the Beatles and Alfred Hitchcock, so I figured we were in good company.**

 

**I gunned the Yamaha over the curb and swerved to a stop at the fountain outside the hotel. Will and I hopped off.**

 

 

**The statue at the top of the fountain called down, "Oh, fine. I suppose you want me to watch your bike too!" She was a life-size bronze standing in the middle of a granite bowl. She wore only a bronze sheet around her legs, and she was holding a basket of metal fruit. I'd never paid her too much attention before. Then again, she'd never talked to me before.**

 

**"Are you supposed to be Demeter?" I asked.**

 

**A bronze apple sailed over my head.**

 

**"Everyone thinks I'm Demeter.'" she complained. "I'm Pompona, the Roman Goddess of Plenty, but why should you care? Nobody cares about the minor gods. If you cared about the minor gods, you wouldn't be losing this war! Three cheers for Morpheus and Hecate, I say!"**

 

"You know…" Percy blinked. "Why did we never even entertain the idea that the Roman gods were real as well?" The gods all froze as Annabeth nodded.

 

"No kidding, between that, and Janus in the Labyrinth, it should have been obvious."

 

"You know about the Roman demigods?" Athena asked, and the Demigods nodded.

 

"Yep. And the Egyptian Magicians, and the Norse Demigods and gods, and apparently Jesus is real as well." Naiche grinned at them. "Percy and Annabeth met the Egyptian Magicians leaders, Carter and Sadie, Thalia's brother is a Roman Demigod, and Annabeth's cousin is a Norse Demigod." The gods looked at them in shock, so Nico just continued reading.

 

**"Watch the bike," I told her.**

 

**Pompona cursed in Latin and threw more fruit as Will and I ran toward the hotel. I'd never actually been inside the Plaza. The lobby was impressive, with the crystal chandeliers and the passed-out rich people, but I didn't pay much attention. A couple of Hunters gave us directions to the elevators, and we rode up to the penthouse suites.**

 

**Demigods had completely taken over the top floors. Campers and Hunters were crashed out on sofas, washing up in the bathrooms, ripping silk draperies to bandage their wounds, and helping themselves to snacks and sodas from the minibars. A couple of timber wolves were drinking out of the toilets. I was relieved to see that so many of my friends had made it through the night alive, but everybody looked beat up.**

 

**"Percy!" Jake Mason clapped me on the shoulder. "We're getting reports—"**

 

**"Later," I said. "Where's Annabeth?"**

 

**"The terrace. She's alive, man, but . . ."**

 

**I pushed past him.**

 

**Under different circumstances I would've loved the view from the terrace. It looked straight down onto Central Park. The morning was clear and bright—perfect for a picnic or a hike, or pretty much anything except fighting monsters.**

 

**Annabeth lay on a lounge chair. Her face was pale and beaded with sweat. Even though she was covered in blankets, she shivered. Silena Beauregard was wiping her forehead with a cool cloth.**

 

**Will and I pushed through a crowd of Athena kids. Will unwrapped Annabeth's bandages to examine the wound, and I wanted to faint. The bleeding had stopped but the gash looked deep. The skin around the cut was a horrible shade of green.**

 

**"Annabeth . . ." I choked up. She'd taken that knife for me. How could I have let that happen?**

 

**"Poison on the dagger," she mumbled. "Pretty stupid of me, huh?" Will Solace exhaled with relief.**

 

**"It's not so bad, Annabeth. A few more minutes and we would've been in trouble, but the venom hasn't gotten past the shoulder yet. Just lie still. Somebody hand me some nectar."**

 

**I grabbed a canteen. Will cleaned out the wound with the godly drink while I held Annabeth's hand.**

 

**"Ow," she said. "Ow, ow!" She gripped my fingers so tight they turned purple, but she stayed still, like Will asked. Silena muttered words of encouragement. Will put some silver paste over the wound and hummed words in Ancient Greek—a hymn to Apollo. Then he applied fresh bandages and stood up shakily.**

 

**The healing must've taken a lot of his energy. He looked almost as pale as Annabeth.**

 

**"That should do it," he said. "But we're going to need some mortal supplies." He grabbed a piece of hotel stationery, jotted down some notes, and handed it to one of the Athena guys.**

 

**"There's a Duane Reade on Fifth. Normally I would never steal—"**

 

**"I would," Travis volunteered.**

 

**Will glared at him. "Leave cash or drachmas to pay, whatever you've got, but this is an emergency. I've got a feeling we're going to have a lot more people to treat."**

 

**Nobody disagreed. There was hardly a single demigod who hadn't already been wounded . . . except me.**

 

**"Come on, guys," Travis Stoll said. "Let's give Annabeth some space. We've got a drugstore to raid . . . I mean, visit."**

 

**The demigods shuffled back inside. Jake Mason grabbed my shoulder as he was leaving.**

 

**"We'll talk later, but it's under control. I'm using Annabeth's shield to keep an eye on things. The enemy withdrew at sunrise; not sure why. We've got a lookout at each bridge and tunnel."**

 

**"Thanks, man," I said. He nodded.**

 

**"Just take your time." He closed the terrace doors behind him, leaving Silena, Annabeth, and me alone.**

 

**Silena pressed a cool cloth to Annabeth's forehead. "This is all my fault."**

 

**"No," Annabeth said weakly. "Silena, how is it your fault?"**

 

The Demigods connected eyes.

 

**"I've never been any good at camp," she murmured. "Not like you or Percy. If I was a better fighter . . ."**

 

**Her mouth trembled. Ever since Beckendorf died she'd been getting worse, and every time I looked at her, it made me angry about his death all over again. Her expression reminded me of glass—like she might break any minute. I swore to myself that if I ever found the spy who'd cost her boyfriend his life, I would give him to Mrs. O'Leary as a chew toy.**

 

**"You're a great camper," I told Silena. "You're the best pegasus rider we have. And you get along with people. Believe me, anyone who can make friends with Clarisse has talent."**

 

**She stared at me like I'd just given her an idea. "That's it! We need the Ares cabin. I can talk to Clarisse. I know I can convince her to help us."**

 

**"Whoa, Silena. Even if you could get off the island, Clarisse is pretty stubborn. Once she gets angry—"**

 

**"Please," Silena said. "I can take a pegasus. I know I can make it back to camp. Let me try."**

 

**I exchanged looks with Annabeth. She nodded slightly.**

 

**I didn't like the idea. I didn't think Silena stood a chance of convincing Clarisse to fight. On the other hand, Silena was so distracted right now that she would just get herself hurt in battle. Maybe sending her back to camp would give her something else to focus on.**

 

**"All right," I told her. "I can't think of anybody better to try."**

 

**Silena threw her arms around me. Then she pushed back awkwardly, glancing at Annabeth. "Um, sorry. Thank you, Percy! I won't let you down!" Once she was gone, I knelt next to Annabeth and felt her forehead. She was still burning up.**

 

**"You're cute when you're worried," she muttered. "Your eyebrows get all scrunched together."**

 

**"You are not going to die while I owe you a favor," I said. "Why did you take that knife?"**

 

**"You would've done the same for me."**

 

**It was true. I guess we both knew it. Still, I felt like somebody was poking my heart with a cold metal rod. "How did you know?"**

 

**"Know what?" I looked around to make sure we were alone. Then I leaned in close and whispered: "My Achilles spot. If you hadn't taken that knife, I would've died."**

 

**She got a faraway look in her eyes. Her breath smelled of grapes, maybe from the nectar. "I don't know, Percy. I just had this feeling you were in danger. Where . . . where is the spot?"**

 

**I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. But this was Annabeth. If I couldn't trust her, I couldn't trust anyone.**

 

**"The small of my back."**

 

**She lifted her hand. "Where? Here?" She put her hand on my spine, and my skin tingled. I moved her fingers to the one spot that grounded me to my mortal life. A thousand volts of electricity seemed to arc through my body.**

**"You saved me," I said. "Thanks."**

 

**She removed her hand, but I kept holding it.**

 

**"So you owe me," she said weakly. "What else is new?"**

 

**We watched the sun come up over the city. The traffic should've been heavy by now, but there were no cars honking, no crowds bustling along the sidewalks. Far away, I could hear a car alarm echo through the streets. A plume of black smoke curled into the sky somewhere over Harlem. I wondered how many ovens had been left on when the Morpheus spell hit; how many people had fallen asleep in the middle of cooking dinner. Pretty soon there would be more fires. Everyone in New York was in danger—and all those lives depended on us.**

 

**"You asked me why Hermes was mad at me," Annabeth said. "Hey, you need to rest—"**

 

**"No, I want to tell you. It's been bothering me for a long time." She moved her shoulder and winced.**

 

**"Last year, Luke came to see me in San Francisco."**

 

**"In person?" I felt like she'd just hit me with a hammer. "He came to your house?"**

 

**"This was before we went into the Labyrinth, before . . ." She faltered, but I knew what she meant:** **_before be turned into Kronos_ ** **. "He came under a flag of truce. He said he only wanted five minutes to talk. He looked scared, Percy. He told me Kronos was going to use him to take over the world. He said he wanted to run away, like the old days. He wanted me to come with him."**

 

**"But you didn't trust him."**

 

**"Of course not. I thought it was a trick. Plus . . . well, a lot of things had changed since the old days. I told Luke there was no way. He got mad. He said . . . he said I might as well fight him right there, because it was the last chance I'd get."**

 

**Her forehead broke out in sweat again. The story was taking too much of her energy.**

 

**"It's okay," I said. "Try to get some rest."**

 

**"You don't understand, Percy. Hermes was right. Maybe if I'd gone with him, I could've changed his mind. Or—or I had a knife. Luke was unarmed. I could've—"**

 

**"Killed him?" I said. "You know that wouldn't have been right."**

 

**She squeezed her eyes shut. "Luke said Kronos would use him like a stepping stone. Those were his exact words. Kronos would use Luke, and become even more powerful."**

 

**"He did that," I said. "He possessed Luke's body."**

 

**"But what if Luke's body is only a transition? What if Kronos has a plan to become even more powerful? I could've stopped him. The war is my fault."**

 

**Her story made me feel like I was back in the Styx, slowly dissolving. I remembered last summer, when the two-headed god, Janus, had warned Annabeth she would have to make a major choice—and that had happened** **_after_ ** **she saw Luke. Pan had also said something to her:** **_You will play a great role, though it may not be the role you imagined._ **

 

Hermes looked down at the reminder of his sons death, and when Dionysus looked up from his magazine sadness shone in his eyes.

 

**I wanted to ask her about the vision Hestia had shown me, about her early days with Luke and Thalia. I knew it had something to do with my prophecy, but I didn't understand what.**

 

**Before I could get up my nerve, the terrace door opened. Connor Stoll stepped through.**

 

**"Percy." He glanced at Annabeth like he didn't want to say anything bad in front of her, but I could tell he wasn't bringing good news. "Mrs. O'Leary just came back with Grover. I think you should talk to him."**

 

**Grover was having a snack in the living room. He was dressed for battle in an armored shirt made from tree bark and twist ties, with his wooden cudgel and his reed pipes hanging from his belt.**

 

**The Demeter cabin had whipped up a whole buffet in the hotel kitchens—everything from pizza to pineapple ice cream. Unfortunately, Grover was eating the furniture. He'd already chewed the stuffing off a fancy chair and was now gnawing the armrest.**

 

**"Dude," I said, "we're only borrowing this place."**

 

**"Blah-ha-ha!" He had stuffing all over his face. "Sorry, Percy. It's just . . . Louis the Sixteenth furniture.** **_Delicious_ ** **. Plus I always eat furniture when I get—"**

 

**"When you get nervous," I said. "Yeah, I know. So what's up?" He clopped on his hooves.**

 

**"I heard about Annabeth. Is she . . .?"**

 

**"She's going to be fine. She's resting." Grover took a deep breath.**

 

**"That's good. I've mobilized most of the nature spirits in the city—well, the ones that will listen to me, anyway." He rubbed his forehead. "I had no idea acorns could hurt so much. Anyway, we're helping out as much as we can."**

 

**He told me about the skirmishes they'd seen. Mostly they'd been covering uptown, where we didn't have enough demigods. Hellhounds had appeared in all sorts of places, shadow-traveling inside our lines, and the dryads and satyrs had been fighting them off. A young dragon had appeared in Harlem, and a dozen wood nymphs died before the monster was finally defeated.**

 

**As Grover talked, Thalia entered the room with two of her lieutenants. She nodded to me grimly, went outside to check on Annabeth, and came back in. She listened while Grover completed his report— the details getting worse and worse.**

 

**"We lost twenty satyrs against some giants at Fort Washington," he said, his voice trembling. "Almost half my kinsmen. River spirits drowned the giants in the end, but . . ."**

 

**Thalia shouldered her bow. "Percy, Kronos's forces are still gathering at every bridge and tunnel. And Kronos isn't the only Titan. One of my Hunters spotted a huge man in golden armor mustering an army on the Jersey shore. I'm not sure who he is, but he radiates power like only a Titan or god."**

 

**I remembered the golden Titan from my dream—the one on Mount Othrys who erupted into flames.**

 

**"Great," I said. "Any good news?"**

 

**Thalia shrugged. "We've sealed off the subway tunnels into Manhattan. My best trappers took care of it. Also, it seems like the enemy is waiting for tonight to attack. I think Luke"—she caught herself—"I mean Kronos needs time to regenerate after each fight. He's still not comfortable with his new form. It's taking a lot of his power to slow time around the city."**

 

**Grover nodded. "Most of his forces are more powerful at night, too. But they'll be back after sundown." I tried to think clearly.**

 

**"Okay. Any word from the gods?" Thalia shook her head.**

 

**"I know Lady Artemis would be here if she could. Athena, too. But Zeus has ordered them to stay at his side. The last I heard, Typhon was destroying the Ohio River valley. He should reach the Appalachian Mountains by midday."**

 

**"** **_So_ ** **at best," I said, "we've got another two days before he arrives."**

 

**Jake Mason cleared his throat. He'd been standing there so silently I'd almost forgotten he was in the room.**

 

**"Percy, something else," he said. "The way Kronos showed up at the Williamsburg Bridge, like he knew you were going there. And he shifted his forces to our weakest points. As soon as we deployed, he changed tactics. He barely touched the Lincoln Tunnel, where the Hunters were strong. He went for our weakest spots, like he knew."**

 

**"Like he had inside information," I said. "The spy."**

 

**"What spy?" Thalia demanded.**

 

**I told her about the silver charm Kronos had shown me, the communication device.**

 

**"That's bad," she said. "Very bad."**

 

**"It could be anyone," Jake said. "We were all standing there when Percy gave the orders."**

 

**"But what can we do?" Grover asked. "Frisk every demigod until we find a scythe charm?"**

 

**They all looked at me, waiting for a decision. I couldn't afford to show how panicked I felt, even if things seemed hopeless.**

 

**"We keep fighting," I said. "We can't obsess about this spy. If we're suspicious of each other, we'll just tear ourselves apart. You guys were awesome last night. I couldn't ask for a braver army. Let's set up a rotation for the watches. Rest up while you can. We've got a long night ahead of us."**

 

**The demigods mumbled agreement. They went their separate ways to sleep or eat or repair their weapons.**

 

**"Percy, you too," Thalia said. "We'll keep an eye on things. Go lie down. We need you in good shape for tonight."**

 

**I didn't argue too hard. I found the nearest bedroom and crashed on the canopied bed. I thought I was too wired to sleep, but my eyes closed almost immediately.**

 

**In my dream, I saw Nico di Angelo alone in the gardens of Hades. He'd just dug a hole in one of Persephone's flower beds, which I didn't figure would make the queen very happy.**

 

"It didn't," he muttered, but he was glancing at his father, worried.

 

**He poured a goblet of wine into the hole and began to chant. "Let the dead taste again. Let them rise and take this offering. Maria di Angelo, show yourself!"**

 

**White smoke gathered. A human figure formed, but it wasn't Nico's mother. It was a girl with dark hair, olive skin, and the silvery clothes of a Hunter.**

 

**"Bianca," Nico said. "But—"**

 

**_Don't summon our mother, Nico,_ ** **she warned.** **_She is the one spirit you are forbidden to see._ **

 

**"Why?" he demanded. "What's our father hiding?"**

 

**_Pain,_ ** **Bianca said.** **_Hatred. A curse that stretches back to the Great Prophecy._ **

 

Hades face grew worried.

 

**"What do you mean?" Nico said. "I have to know!"**

 

**_The knowledge will only hurt you. Remember what I said: holding grudges is a fatal flaw for children of Hades._ **

 

**"I know that," Nico said. "But I'm not the same as I used to be, Bianca. Stop trying to protect me!"**

 

**_Brother, you don't understand—_ ** **Nico swiped his hand through the mist, and Bianca s image dissipated.**

 

**"Maria di Angelo," he said again. "Speak to me!"**

 

**A different image formed. It was a scene rather than a single ghost. In the mist, I saw Nico and Bianca as little children, playing in the lobby of an elegant hotel, chasing each other around marble columns.**

 

**A woman sat on a nearby sofa. She wore a black dress, gloves, and a black veiled hat like a star from an old 1940s movie. She had Bianca's smile and Nico's eyes.**

 

**On a chair next to her sat a large oily man in a black pinstripe suit. With a shock, I realized it was Hades. He was leaning toward the woman, using his hands as he talked, like he was agitated.**

 

**"Please, my dear," he said. "You** **_must_ ** **come to the Underworld. I don't care what Persephone thinks! I can keep you safe there."**

 

**"No, my love." She spoke with an Italian accent. "Raise our children in the land of the dead? I will not do this."**

 

**"Maria, listen to me. The war in Europe has turned the other gods against me. A prophecy has been made. My children are no longer safe. Poseidon and Zeus have forced me into an agreement. None of us are to have demigod children ever again."**

 

**"But you already have Nico and Bianca. Surely—"**

 

**"No! The prophecy warns of a child who turns sixteen. Zeus has decreed that the children I currently have must be turned over to Camp Half-Blood for** **_proper training_ ** **, but I know what he means. At best they'll be watched, imprisoned, turned against their father. Even more likely, he will not take a chance. He won't allow my demigod children to reach sixteen. He'll find a way to destroy them, and I won't risk that!"**

 

**"** **_Certamente_ ** **," Maria said. "We will stay together. Zeus is** **_un imbecile_ ** **."**

 

Zeus glared at Hades, but the god had wiped the worried look off of his face. Instead, it was painted in deep sadness. The same sadness that was on Hermes face in the last chapter they read.

 

**I couldn't help admiring her courage, but Hades glanced nervously at the ceiling. "Maria, please. I told you, Zeus gave me a deadline of** **_last week_ ** **to turn over the children. His wrath will be horrible, and I cannot hide you forever. As long as you are with the children, you are in danger too."**

 

**Maria smiled, and again it was creepy how much she looked like her daughter. "You are a god, my love. You will protect us. But I will not take Nico and Bianca to the Underworld."**

 

**Hades wrung his hands. "Then, there is another option. I know a place in the desert where time stands still. I could send the children there, just for a while, for their own safety, and we could be together. I will build you a golden palace by the Styx."**

 

**Maria di Angelo laughed gently. "You are a kind man, my love. A generous man. The other gods should see you as I do, and they would not fear you so. But Nico and Bianca need their mother. Besides, they are only children. The gods wouldn't really hurt them."**

 

The gods looked at each other guiltily, while Hestia placed a hand on Hades shoulder. She knew what was coming next.

 

**"You don't know my family," Hades said darkly. "Please, Maria, I can't lose you."**

 

**She touched his lips with her fingers. "You will not lose me. Wait for me while I get my purse. Watch the children."**

 

**She kissed the lord of the dead and rose from the sofa. Hades watched her walk upstairs as if her every step away caused him pain.**

 

**A moment later, he tensed. The children stopped playing as if they sensed something too.**

 

**"No!" Hades said. But even his godly powers were too slow. He only had time to erect a wall of black energy around the children before the hotel exploded.**

 

**The force was so violent, the entire mist image dissolved.**

 

**When it came into focus again, I saw Hades kneeling in the ruins, holding the broken form of Maria di Angelo. Fires still burned all around him. Lightning flashed across the sky, and thunder rumbled.**

 

**Little Nico and Bianca stared at their mother  uncomprehendingly. The Fury Alecto appeared behind them, hissing and flapping her leathery wings. The children didn't seem to notice her.**

 

**"Zeus!" Hades shook his fist at the sky. "I will crush you for this! I will bring her back!"**

 

**"My lord, you cannot," Alecto warned. "You of all immortals must respect the laws of death."**

 

**Hades glowed with rage. I thought he would show his true form and vaporize his own children, but at the last moment he seemed to regain control.**

 

**"Take them," he told Alecto, choking back a sob. "Wash their memories clean m the Lethe and bring them to the Lotus Hotel. Zeus will not harm them there."**

 

**"As you wish, my lord," Alecto said. "And the woman's body?"**

 

**"Take her as well," he said bitterly. "Give her the ancient rites."**

 

**Alecto, the children, and Maria's body dissolved into shadows, leaving Hades alone in the ruins.**

 

**"I warned you," a new voice said.**

 

**Hades turned. A girl in a multicolored dress stood by the smoldering remains of the sofa. She had short black hair and sad eyes. She was no more than twelve. I didn't know her, but she looked strangely familiar.**

 

Apollo looked at Hades in shock, and rage. Hermes did the same.

 

"You didn't," the sun god snarled.

 

Hades said nothing.

 

**"You dare come here?" Hades growled. "I should blast you to dust!"**

 

**"You cannot," the girl said. "The power of Delphi protects me."**

 

**With a chill, I realized I was looking at the Oracle of Delphi, back when she was alive and young. Somehow, seeing her like this was even spookier than seeing her as a mummy.**

 

**"You've killed the woman I loved!" Hades roared. "Your prophecy brought us to this.'"**

 

**He loomed over the girl, but she didn't flinch.**

 

**"Zeus ordained the explosion to destroy the children," she said, "because you defied his will. I had nothing to do with it. And I did warn you to hide them sooner."**

 

**"I couldn't! Maria would not let me! Besides, they were innocent."**

 

**"Nevertheless, they are your children, which makes them dangerous. Even if you put them away in the Lotus Hotel, you only delay the problem. Nico and Bianca will never be able to rejoin the world lest they turn sixteen."**

 

**"Because of your so-called Great Prophecy. And you have forced me into an oath to have no other children. You have left me with nothing!"**

 

**"I foresee the future," the girl said. "I cannot change it."**

 

**Black fire lit the god's eyes, and I knew something bad was coming. I wanted to yell at the girl to hide or run.**

 

**"Then, Oracle, hear the words of Hades," he growled. "Perhaps I cannot bring back Maria. Nor can I bring yon an early death. But your soul is still mortal, and I can curse you."**

 

**The girl's eyes widened. "You would not—"**

 

**"I swear," Hades said, "as long as my children remain outcasts, as long as I labor under the curse of your Great Prophecy, the Oracle of Delphi will never have another mortal host. You will never rest in peace. No other will take your place. Your body will wither and die, and still the Oracle's spirit will be locked inside you. You will speak your bitter prophecies until you crumble to nothing. The Oracle will die with you!"**

 

**The girl screamed, and the misty image was blasted to shreds. Nico fell to his knees in Persephone's garden, his face white with shock. Standing in front of him was the real Hades, towering in his black robes and scowling down at his son.**

 

**"And just what," he asked Nico, "do you think you're doing?"**

 

**A black explosion filled my dreams. Then the scene changed.**

 

Apollo and Hermes had stood and were screaming obscenities at Hades, and it wasn't until Hestia stood and struck them with a blast of fire that they stopped.

 

The goddesses eyes blazed with fire, and for the first time many of the Demigods were afraid of her.

 

"Can you not see that he is in enough pain?" She yelled. "Zeus took everything from him! He acted rashly, Apollo, Hermes. Can you honestly say you would not do the same?" The two gods looked down guiltily while Hestia returned to Hades side to comfort him.

 

**Rachel Elizabeth Dare was walking along a white sand beach. She wore a swimsuit with a T-shirt wrapped around her waist. Her shoulders and face were sunburned.**

 

**She knelt and began writing in the surf with her finger. I tried to make out the letters. I thought my dyslexia was acting up until I realized she was writing in Ancient Greek.**

 

**That was impossible. The dream had to be false.**

 

**Rachel finished writing a few words and muttered, "What in the world?"**

 

**I can read Greek, but I only recognized one word before the sea washed it away:** **Περσεύς** **. My name: Perseus.**

 

**Rachel stood abruptly and backed away from the surf.**

 

**"Oh, gods," she said. "That's what it means."**

 

**She turned and ran, kicking up sand as she raced back to her family's villa.**

 

**She pounded up the porch steps, breathing hard. Her father looked up from his Wall Street Journal**

 

**"Dad." Rachel marched up to him. "We have to go back."**

 

**Her dad's mouth twitched, like he was trying to remember how to smile. "Back? We just got here."**

 

**"There's trouble in New York. Percy's in danger."**

 

**"Did he call you?"**

 

**"No . . . not exactly. But I know. It's a feeling." Mr. Dare folded his newspaper.**

 

**"Your mother and I have been looking forward to this vacation for a long time."**

 

**"No you haven't! You both hate the beach! You're just too stubborn to admit it."**

 

**"Now, Rachel—" "I'm telling you something is wrong in New York! The whole city . . . I don't know what exactly, but it's under attack."**

 

**Her father sighed. "I think we would've heard some thing like that on the news."**

 

**"No," Rachel insisted. "Not this kind of attack. Have you had any calls since we got here?" Her father frowned.**

 

**"No . . . but it is the weekend, in the middle of the summer."**

 

**"You always get calls," Rachel said. "You've got to admit that's strange."**

 

**Her father hesitated. "We can't just leave. We've spent a lot of money."**

 

**"Look," Rachel said. "Daddy . . . Percy needs me. I have to deliver a message. It's life or death."**

 

**"What message? What are you talking about?"**

 

**"I can't tell you."**

 

**"Then you can't go."**

 

**Rachel closed her eyes like she was getting up her courage. "Dad . . . let me go, and I'll make a deal with you."**

 

**Mr. Dare sat forward. Deals were something he understood. "I'm listening."**

 

**"Clarion Ladies Academy. I'll—I'll go there in the fall. I won't even complain. But you have to get me back to New York right now."**

 

**He was silent for a long time. Then he opened his phone and made a call.**

 

**"Douglas? Prep the plane. We're leaving for New York. Yes . . . immediately."**

 

**Rachel flung her arms around him, and her father seemed surprised, like she'd never hugged him before.**

 

**"I'll make it up to you, Dad!"**

 

**He smiled, but his expression was chilly. He studied her like he wasn't seeing his daughter—just the young lady he wanted her to be, once Clarion Academy got through with her.**

 

**"Yes, Rachel," he agreed. "You most certainly will."**

 

**The scene faded. I mumbled in my sleep: "Rachel, no!"**

 

**I was still tossing and turning when Thalia shook me awake. "Percy," she said. "Come on. It's late afternoon. We've got visitors."**

 

**I sat up, disoriented. The bed was too comfortable, and I hated sleeping in the middle of the day.**

 

**"Visitors?" I said. Thalia nodded grimly. "A Titan wants to see you, under a flag of truce. He has a message from Kronos."**


	7. A Titan Brings Me a Present

**We could see the white flag from half a mile away. It was as big as a soccer field, carried by a thirty-foottall giant with bright blue skin and icy gray hair.**

 

**"A Hyperborean," Thalia said. "The giants of the north. It's a bad sign that they sided with Kronos. They're usually peaceful."**

 

**"You've met them?" I said.**

 

 **"Mmm. There's a big colony in Alberta. You do not want to get into a snowball fight with those guys." As the giant got closer, I could see three human-size envoys with him: a half-blood in armor, an** ** _empousa_** **demon with a black dress and flaming hair, and a tall man in a tuxedo. The** ** _empousa_** **held the tux dude's arm, so they looked like a couple on their way to a Broadway show or something— except for her flaming hair and fangs.**  

 

**The group walked leisurely toward the Heckscher Playground. The swings and ball courts were empty. The only sound was the fountain on Umpire Rock. I looked at Grover.**

 

**"The tux dude is the Titan?"**

 

**He nodded nervously. "He looks like a magician. I hate magicians. They usually have rabbits."**

 

**I stared at him. "You're scared of bunnies?"**

 

**"Blah-hah-hah! They're big bullies. Always stealing celery from defenseless satyrs!"**

 

**Thalia coughed. "What?"**

 

**Grover demanded. "We'll have to work on your bunny phobia later," I said. "Here they come."**

 

**The man in the tux stepped forward. He was taller than an average human—about seven feet. His black hair was tied in a ponytail. Dark round glasses covered his eyes, but what really caught my attention was the skin on his face. It was covered in scratches, like he'd been attacked by a small animal— a really, really mad hamster, maybe.**

“Promentheus,” Zeus hissed.

 

**"Percy Jackson," he said in a silky voice. "It's a great honor." His lady friend the** **_empousa_ ** **hissed at me.**

 

**She'd probably heard how I'd destroyed two of her sisters last summer.**

 

**"My dear," Tux Dude said to her. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable over there, eh?"**

 

**She released his arm and drifted over to a park bench. I glanced at the armed demigod behind Tux Dude. I hadn't recognized him in his new helmet, but it was my old backstabbing buddy Ethan Nakamura. His nose looked like a squashed tomato from our fight on the Williamsburg Bridge. That made me feel better.**

 

**"Hey, Ethan," I said. "You're looking good."**

 

**Ethan glared at me.**

 

**"To business." Tux Dude extended his hand. "I am Prometheus."**

 

**I was too surprised to shake. "The fire-stealer guy? The chained-to-the-rock-with-the-vultures guy?"**

 

**Prometheus winced. He touched the scratches on his face. "Please, don't mention the vultures. But yes, I stole fire from the gods and gave it to your ancestors. In return, the ever merciful Zeus had me chained to a rock and tortured for all eternity."**

 

**"But—"**

 

**"How did I get free? Hercules did that, eons ago. So you see, I have a soft spot for heroes. Some of you can be quite civilized."**

 

**"Unlike the company you keep," I noticed.**

 

**I was looking at Ethan, but Prometheus apparently thought I meant the** **_empousa_ ** **.**

 

**"Oh, demons aren't so bad," he said. "You just have to keep them well fed. Now, Percy Jackson, let us parley."**

 

**He waved me toward a picnic table and we sat down. Thalia and Grover stood behind me.**

 

**The blue giant propped his white flag against a tree and began absently playing on the playground. He stepped on the monkey bars and crushed them, but he didn't seem angry. He just frowned and said, "Uhoh." Then he stepped in the fountain and broke the concrete bowl in half. "Uh-oh." The water froze where his foot touched it. A bunch of stuffed animals hung from his belt—the huge kind you get for grand prizes at an arcade. He reminded me of Tyson, and the idea of fighting him made me sad.**

 

Several of the Demigods smiled slightly.

 

“Tyson is the best,” Annabeth grinned, and the other Demigods smiled in agreement. 

 

**Prometheus sat forward and laced his fingers. He looked earnest, kindly, and wise. "Percy, your position is weak. You know you can't stop another assault."**

 

**"We'll see." Prometheus looked pained, like he really cared what happened to me. "Percy, I'm the Titan of forethought. I know what's going to happen."**

 

**"Also the Titan of crafty counsel," Grover put in. "Emphasis on crafty."**

 

**Prometheus shrugged. "True enough, satyr. But I supported the gods in the last war. I told Kronos: 'You don't have the strength. You'll lose.' And I was right. So you see, I know how to pick the winning side. This time, I'm backing Kronos."**

 

**"Because Zeus chained you to a rock," I guessed.**

 

**"Partly, yes. I won't deny I want revenge. But that's not the only reason I'm supporting Kronos. It's the wisest choice. I'm here because I thought you might listen to reason."**

 

**He drew a map on the table with his finger. Wherever he touched, golden lines appeared, glowing on the concrete. "This is Manhattan. We have armies here, here, here, and here. We know your numbers. We outnumber you twenty to one."**

 

**"Your spy has been keeping you posted," I guessed.**

 

**Prometheus smiled apologetically. "At any rate, our forces are growing daily. Tonight, Kronos will attack. You will be overwhelmed. You've fought bravely, but there's just no way you can hold all of Manhattan. You'll be forced to retreat to the Empire State Building. There you'll be destroyed. I have seen this. It will happen."**

 

**I thought about the picture Rachel had drawn in my dreams—an army at the base of the Empire State Building. I remembered the words of the young girl Oracle in my dream:** **_I foresee the future. I cannot change it._ ** **Prometheus spoke with such certainty it was hard not to believe him.**

 

**"I won't let it happen," I said.**

 

**Prometheus brushed a speck off his tux lapel. "Understand, Percy. You are refighting the Trojan War here. Patterns repeat themselves in history. They reappear just as monsters do. A great siege. Two armies. The only difference is, this time you are defending. You are Troy. And you know what happened to the Trojans, don't you?"**

 

**"So you're going to cram a wooden horse into the elevator at the Empire State Building?" I asked. "Good luck."**

 

**Prometheus smiled. "Troy was completely destroyed, Percy. You don't want that to happen here. Stand down, and New York will be spared. Your forces will be granted amnesty. I will personally assure your safety. Let Kronos take Olympus. Who cares? Typhon will destroy the gods my way."**

 

**"Right," I said. "And I'm supposed to believe Kronos would spare the city."**

 

**"All he wants is Olympus," Prometheus promised. "The might of the gods is tied to their seats of power. You saw what happened to Poseidon once his undersea palace was attacked."**

 

**I winced, remembering how old and decrepit my father looked.**

 

Poseidon winced as if he was in pain.

 

**"Yes," Prometheus said sadly. "I know that was hard for you. When Kronos destroys Olympus, the gods will fade. They will become so weak they will be easily defeated. Kronos would rather do this while Typhon has the Olympians distracted in the west. Much easier. Fewer lives lost. But make no mistake, the best you can do is slow us down. The day after tomorrow, Typhon arrives in New York, and you will have no chance at all. The gods and Mount Olympus will still be destroyed, but it will be much messier. Much, much worse for you and your city. Either way, the Titans will rule."**

 

**Thalia pounded her fist on the table. "I serve Artemis. The Hunters will fight to our last breath. Percy, you're not seriously going to listen to this slimeball, are you?"**

 

**I figured Prometheus was going to blast her, but he just smiled. "Your courage does you credit, Thalia Grace."**

 

**Thalia stiffened. "That's my mother's surname. I don't use it."**

 

**"As you wish," Prometheus said casually, but I could tell he'd gotten under her skin. I'd never even heard Thalia's last name before. Somehow it made her seem almost normal. Less mysterious and powerful.**

**"At any rate," the Titan said, "you need not be my enemy. I have always been a helper of mankind."**

**"That's a load of Minotaur dung," Thalia said. "When mankind first sacrificed to the gods, you tricked them into giving you the best portion. You gave us fire to annoy the gods, not because you cared about us."**

**Prometheus shook his head. "You don't understand. I helped shape your nature."**

**A wiggling lump of clay appeared in his hands. He fashioned it into a little doll with legs and arms. The lump man didn't have any eyes, but it groped around the table, stumbling over Prometheus's fingers. "I have been whispering in man's ear since the beginning of your existence. I represent your curiosity, your sense of exploration, your inventiveness. Help me save you, Percy. Do this, and I will give mankind a new gift—a new revelation that will move you as far forward as fire did. You can't make that kind of advance under the gods. They would never allow it. But this could be a new golden age for you. Or . . ." He made a fist and smashed the clay man into a pancake.**

**The blue giant rumbled, "Uh-oh." Over at the park bench, the** **_empousa_ ** **bared her fangs in a smile.**

**"Percy, you know the Titans and their offspring are not all bad," Prometheus said. "You've met Calypso."**

**My face felt hot. "That's different."**

**"How? Much like me, she did nothing wrong, and yet she was exiled forever simply because she was Atlas's daughter. We are not your enemies. Don't let the worst happen," he pleaded. "We offer you peace."**

**I looked at Ethan Nakamura. "You must hate this."**

**"I don't know what you mean."**

**"If we took this deal, you wouldn't get revenge. You wouldn't get to kill us all. Isn't that what you want?"**

**His good eye flared. "All I want is respect, Jackson. The gods never gave me that. You wanted me to go to your stupid camp, spend my time crammed into the Hermes cabin because I'm not important? Not even recognized?"**

**He sounded just like Luke when he'd tried to kill me in the woods at camp four years ago. The memory made my hand ache where the pit scorpion had stung me.**

**"Your mom's the goddess of revenge," I told Ethan. "We should respect that?" "Nemesis stands for balance! When people have too much good luck, she tears them down."**

**"Which is why she took your eye?"**

**"It was payment," he growled. "In exchange, she swore to me that one day I would tip the balance of power. I would bring the minor gods respect. An eye was a small price to pay."**

**"Great mom."**

“Indeed,” Aphrodite looked sick.

**"At least she keeps her word, unlike the Olympians. She always pays her debts—good or evil."**

**"Yeah," I said. "So, I saved your life, and you repaid me by raising Kronos. That's fair."**

**Ethan grabbed the hilt of his sword, but Prometheus stopped him.**

**"Now, now," the Titan said. "We're on a diplomatic mission."**

**Prometheus studied me as if trying to understand my anger. Then he nodded like he'd just picked a thought from my brain.**

**"It bothers you what happened to Luke," he decided. "Hestia didn't show you the full story. Perhaps if you understood . . ."**

**The Titan reached out.**

**Thalia cried a warning, but before I could react, Prometheus's index finger touched my forehead.**

*** * ***

**Suddenly I was back in May Castellan's living room. Candles flickered on the fireplace mantel, reflected in the mirrors along the walls. Through the kitchen doorway I could see Thalia sitting at the table while Ms. Castellan bandaged her wounded leg. Seven-year-old Annabeth sat next to her, playing with a Medusa beanbag toy.**

**Hermes and Luke stood apart in the living room.**

**The god's face looked liquid in the candlelight, like he couldn't decide what shape to adopt. He was dressed in a navy-blue jogging outfit with winged Reeboks.**

**"Why show yourself now?" Luke demanded. His shoulders were tense, as if he expected a fight. "All these years I've been calling to you, praying you'd show up, and nothing. You left me with her." He pointed toward the kitchen like he couldn't bear to look at his mother, much less say her name.**

**"Luke, do not dishonor her," Hermes warned. "Your mother did the best she could. As for me, I could not interfere with your path. The children of the gods must find their own way."**

**"So it was for my own good. Growing up on the streets, fending for myself, fighting monsters."**

**"You're my son," Hermes said. "I knew you had the ability. When I was only a baby, I crawled from my cradle and set out for—"**

**"I'm not a god! Just once, you could've said something. You could've helped when"—he took an unsteady breath, lowering his voice so no one in the kitchen could overhear—"when she was having one of her fits, shaking me and saying crazy things about my fate. When I used to hide in the closet so she wouldn't find me with those . . . those glowing eyes. Did you even care that I was scared? Did you even know when I finally ran away?"**

**In the kitchen, Ms. Castellan chattered aimlessly, pouring Kool-Aid for Thalia and Annabeth as she told them stories about Luke as a baby. Thalia rubbed her bandaged leg nervously. Annabeth glanced into the living room and held up a burned cookie for Luke to see. She mouthed,** **_Can we go now?_ **

**"Luke, I care very much," Hermes said slowly, "but gods must not interfere directly in mortal affairs. It is one of our Ancient Laws. Especially when your destiny . . ." His voice trailed off. He stared at the candles as if remembering something unpleasant.**

**"What?" Luke asked. "What about my destiny?"**

**"You should not have come back," Hermes muttered. "It only upsets you both. However, I see now that you are getting too old to be on the run without help. I'll speak with Chiron at Camp Half-Blood and ask him to send a satyr to collect you."**

**"We're doing fine without your help," Luke growled. "Now, what were you saying about my destiny?"**

**The wings on Hermes's Reeboks fluttered restlessly. He studied his son like he was trying to memorize his face, and suddenly a cold feeling washed through me. I realized Hermes knew what May Castellan's mutterings meant. I wasn't sure how, but looking at his face I was absolutely certain. Hermes understood what would happen to Luke someday, how he would turn evil.**

Hermes choked back a sob, and Hermes looked down guiltily.

**"My son," he said, "I'm the god of travelers, the god of loads. If I know anything, I know that you must walk your own path, even though it tears my heart."**

**"You don't love me."**

**"I promise I . . . I do love you. Go to camp. I will see that you get a quest soon. Perhaps you can defeat the Hydra, or steal the apples of Hesperides. You will get a chance to be a great hero before . . ."**

**"Before what?" Luke's voice was trembling now. "What did my mom see that made her like this? What's going to happen to me? If you love me,** **_tell_ ** **me."**

**Hermes's expression tightened. "I cannot."**

**"Then you don't care!" Luke yelled.**

“No, my son,” Hermes sobbed as Apollo pulled him into a hug. “I have always loved you.”

**In the kitchen, the talking died abruptly.**

**"Luke?" May Castellan called. "Is that you? Is my boy all right?"**

**Luke turned to hide his face, but I could see the tears in his eyes. "I'm fine. I have a new family. I don't need either of you."**

**"I'm your father," Hermes insisted. "A father is supposed to be around. I've never even met you. Thalia, Annabeth, come on! We're leaving!"**

**"My boy, don't go!" May Castellan called after him. "I have your lunch ready!"**

**Luke stormed out the door, Thalia and Annabeth scrambling after him. May Castellan tried to follow, but Hermes held her back.**

**As the screen door slammed, May collapsed in Hermes's arms and began to shake. Her eyes opened—glowing green—and she clutched desperately at Hermes's shoulders.**

**_"My son,"_ ** **she hissed in a dry voice.** **_"Danger. Terrible fate!"_ **

**"I know, my love," Hermes said sadly. "Believe me, I know."**

**The image faded. Prometheus pulled his hand away from my forehead.**

**"Percy?" Thalia asked. "What . . . what was that?"**

**I realized I was clammy with sweat.**

**Prometheus nodded sympathetically. "Appalling, isn't it? The gods know what is to come, and yet they do nothing, even for their children. How long did it take for them to tell you your prophecy, Percy Jackson? Don't you think your father knows what will happen to you?"**

“Of course I would!” Poseidon looked offended.

**I was too stunned to answer.**

**"Perrrcy," Grover warned, "he's playing with your mind. Trying to make you angry."**

**Grover could read emotions, so he probably knew Prometheus was succeeding.**

**"Do you really blame your friend Luke?" the Titan asked me. "And what about you, Percy? Will you be controlled by your fate? Kronos offers you a much better deal."**

**I clenched my fists. As much as I hated what Prometheus had shown me, I hated Kronos a lot more. "I'll give you a deal. Tell Kronos to call off his attack, leave Luke Castellan's body, and return to the pits of Tartarus. Then maybe I won't have to destroy him,"**

**The** **_empousa_ ** **snarled. Her hair erupted in fresh flames, but Prometheus just sighed.**

**"If you change your mind," he said, "I have a gift for you." A Greek vase appeared on the table. It was about three feet high and a foot wide, glazed with blackand-white geometric designs. The ceramic lid was fastened with a leather harness.**

The gods gasped.

**Grover whimpered when he saw it.**

**Thalia gasped. "That's not—"**

**"Yes," Prometheus said. "You recognize it."**

**Looking at the jar, I felt a strange sense of fear, but I had no idea why.**

**"This belonged to my sister-in-law," Prometheus explained. "Pandora."**

**A lump formed in my throat. "As in Pandora's box?"**

**Prometheus shook his head. "I don't know how this box business got started. It was never a box. It was a pithos, a storage jar. I suppose Pandora's pithos doesn't have the same ring to it, but never mind that. Yes, she did open this jar, which contained most of the demons that now haunt mankind—fear, death, hunger, sickness."**

**"Don't forget me," the** **_empousa_ ** **purred.**

**"Indeed," Prometheus conceded. "The first** **_empousa_ ** **was also trapped in this jar, released by Pandora. But what I find curious about the story—Pandora always gets the blame. She is punished for being curious. The gods would have you believe that this is the lesson: mankind should not explore. They should not ask questions. They should do what they are told. In truth, Percy, this jar was a trap designed by Zeus and the other gods. It was revenge on me and my entire family—my poor simple brother Epimetheus and his wife Pandora. The gods knew she would open the jar. They were willing to punish the entire race of humanity along with us."**

**I thought about my dream of Hades and Maria di Angelo. Zeus had destroyed an entire hotel to eliminate two demigod children—just to save his own skin, because he was scared of a prophecy. He'd killed an innocent woman and probably hadn't lost any sleep over it. Hades was no better. He wasn't powerful enough to take his revenge on Zeus, so he cursed the Oracle, dooming a young girl to a horrible fate. And Hermes . . . why had he abandoned Luke? Why hadn't he at least warned Luke, or tried to raise him better so he wouldn't turn evil?**

**Maybe Prometheus was toying with my mind.**

****

**_But what if he's right?_ ** **part of me wondered.** **_How are the gods any better than the Titans?_ **

****

**Prometheus tapped the lid of Pandora's jar. "Only one spirit remained inside when Pandora opened it."**

**"Hope," I said.**

**Prometheus looked pleased. "Very good, Percy. Elpis, the Spirit of Hope, would not abandon humanity. Hope does not leave without being given permission. She can only be released by a child of man."**

**The Titan slid the jar across the table.**

**"I give you this as a reminder of what the gods are like," he said. "Keep Elpis, if you wish. But if you decide that you have seen enough destruction, enough futile suffering, then open the jar. Let Elpis go. Give up Hope, and I will know that you are surrendering. I promise Kronos will be lenient. He will spare the survivors."**

**I stared at the jar and got a very bad feeling. I figured Pandora had been completely ADHD, like me. I could never leave things alone. I didn't like temptation. What if** **_this_ ** **was my choice? Maybe the prophecy all came down to my keeping this jar closed or opening it.**

**"I don't want the thing," I growled.**

**"Too late," Prometheus said. "The gift is given. It cannot be taken back."**

**He stood. The** **_empousa_ ** **came forward and slipped her arm through his.**

**"Morrain!" Prometheus called to the blue giant. "We are leaving. Get your flag."**

**"Uh-oh," the giant said.**

**"We will see you soon, Percy Jackson," Prometheus promised. "One way or another."**

**Ethan Nakamura gave me one last hateful look. Then the truce party turned and strolled up the lane through Central Park, like it was just a regular sunny Sunday afternoon.**

 

Nico handed the book to Annabeth, who flipped to the next page.


	8. Pigs Fly

“Pigs Fly.”

 

**Back at the Plaza, Thalia pulled me aside. "What did Prometheus show you?"**

**Reluctantly, I told her about the vision of May Castellan's house. Thalia rubbed her thigh like she was remembering the old wound.**

“I was,” she announced.

**"That was a bad night," she admitted. "Annabeth was so little, I don't think she really understood what she saw. She just knew Luke was upset."**

**I looked out the hotel windows at Central Park. Small fires were still burning in the north, but otherwise the city seemed unnaturally peaceful. "Do you know what happened to May Castellan? I mean—"**

**"I know what you mean," Thalia said. "I never saw her have an, um, episode, but Luke told me about the glowing eyes, the strange things she would say. He made me promise never to tell. What caused it, I have no idea. If Luke knew, he never told me."**

**"Hermes knew," I said. "Something caused May to see parts of Luke's future, and Hermes understood what would happen—how Luke would turn into Kronos."**

**Thalia frowned. "You can't be sure of that. Remember Prometheus was manipulating what you saw, Percy, showing you what happened in the worst possible light. Hermes** **_did_ ** **love Luke. I could tell just by looking at his face. And Hermes was there that night because he was checking up on May, taking care of her. He wasn't all bad."**

Hermes leaned back from

**"It's still not right," I insisted. "Luke was just a little kid. Hermes never helped him, never stopped him from running away."**

**Thalia shouldered her bow. Again it struck me how much stronger she looked now that she'd stopped aging. You could almost see a silvery glow around her—the blessing of Artemis.**

**"Percy," she said, "you can't start feeling sorry for Luke. We all have tough things to deal with. All demigods do. Our parents are hardly ever around. But Luke made bad choices. Nobody forced him to do that. In fact—"**

**She glanced down the hall to make sure we were alone. "I'm worried about Annabeth. If she has to face Luke in battle, I don't know if she can do it. She's always had a soft spot for him."**

**Blood rose to my face. "She'll do fine."**

**"I don't know. After that night, after we left his mom's house? Luke was never the same. He got reckless and moody, like he had something to prove. By the time Grover found us and tried to get us to camp . . . well, part of the reason we had so much trouble was because Luke wouldn't be careful. He wanted to pick a fight with every monster we crossed. Annabeth didn't see that as a problem. Luke was her hero. She only understood that his parents had made him sad, and she got very defensive of him. She still is defensive. All I'm saying . . . don't you fall into the same trap. Luke has given himself to Kronos now. We can't afford to be soft on him."**

**I looked out at the fires in Harlem, wondering how many sleeping mortals were in danger right now because of Luke's bad choices.**

**"You're right," I said. Thalia patted my shoulder. "I'm going to check on the Hunters, then get some more sleep before nightfall. You should crash too."**

**"The last thing I need is more dreams."**

**"I know, believe me." Her dark expression made me wonder what she'd been dreaming about. It was a common demigod problem: the more dangerous our situation became, the worse and more frequent our dreams got. "But Percy, there's no telling when you'll get another chance for rest. It's going to be a long night—maybe our** **_last_ ** **night."**

**I didn't like it, but I knew she was right. I nodded wearily and gave her Pandora's jar. "Do me a favor. Lock this in the hotel vault, will you? I think I'm allergic to** **_pithos_ ** **."**

**Thalia smiled. "You got it."**

**I found the nearest bed and passed out. But of course sleep only brought more nightmares.**

**I saw the undersea palace of my father. The enemy army was closer now, entrenched only a few hundred yards outside the palace. The fortress walls were completely destroyed. The temple my dad had used as his headquarters was burning with Greek fire.**

Poseidon looked pained.

**I zoomed in on the armory, where my brother and some other Cyclopes were on lunch break, eating from huge jars of Skippy extra-chunky peanut butter (and don't ask me how it tasted underwater, because I don't want to know). As I watched, the outer wall of the armory exploded. A Cyclops warrior stumbled inside, collapsing on the lunch table. Tyson knelt down to help, but it was too late. The Cyclops dissolved into sea silt.**

**Enemy giants moved toward the breach, and Tyson picked up the fallen warrior's club. He yelled something to his fellow blacksmiths—probably "For Poseidon!"—but with his mouth full of peanut butter it sounded like "PUH PTEH BUN!" His brethren all grabbed hammers and chisels, yelled, "PEANUT BUTTER!" and charged behind Tyson into battle.**

**Then the scene shifted. I was with Ethan Nakamura at the enemy camp. What I saw made me shiver, partly because the army was so huge, partly because I recognized the place.**

**We were in the backwoods of New Jersey, on a crumbling road lined with run-down businesses and tattered billboard signs. A trampled fence ringed a big yard full of cement statuary. The sign above the warehouse was hard to read because it was in red cursive, but I knew what it said: AUNTY EM'S GARDEN GNOME EMPORIUM.**

**I hadn't thought about the place in years. It was clearly abandoned. The statues were broken and spray-painted with graffiti. A cement satyr—Grover's Uncle Ferdinand—had lost his arm. Part of the warehouse roof had caved in. A big yellow sign pasted on the door read: CONDEMNED.**

**Hundreds of tents and fires surrounded the property. Mostly I saw monsters, but there were some human mercenaries in combat fatigues and demigods in armor, too. A purple-and-black banner hung outside the emporium, guarded by two huge blue Hyperboreans.**

**Ethan was crouched at the nearest campfire. A couple of other demigods sat with him, sharpening their swords. The doors of the warehouse opened, and Prometheus stepped out.**

**"Nakamura," he called. "The master would like to speak to you."**

**Ethan stood up warily. "Something wrong?"**

**Prometheus smiled. "You'll have to ask him."**

**One of the other demigods snickered. "Nice knowing you."**

**Ethan readjusted his sword belt and headed into the warehouse. Except for the hole in the roof, the place was just as I remembered. Statues of terrified people stood frozen in midscream. In the snack bar area, the picnic tables had been moved aside. Right between the soda dispenser and pretzel warmer stood a golden throne. Kronos lounged on it, his scythe across his lap. He wore jeans and a T-shirt, and with his brooding expression he looked almost human—like the younger version of Luke I'd seen in the vision, pleading with Hermes to tell him his fate. Then Luke saw Ethan, and his face contorted into a very inhuman smile. His golden eyes glowed.**

**"Well, Nakamura. What did you think of the diplomatic mission?"**

**Ethan hesitated. "I'm sure Lord Prometheus is better suited to speak—"**

**"But I asked you."**

**Ethan's good eye darted back and forth, noting the guards that stood around Kronos. "I . . . I don't think Jackson will surrender. Ever."**

**Kronos nodded. "Anything else you wanted to tell me?" "N-no, sir. "You look nervous, Ethan."**

**"No, sir. It's just . . . I heard this was the lair of —"**

**"Medusa? Yes, quite true. Lovely place, eh? Unfortunately, Medusa hasn't re-formed since Jackson killed her, so you needn't worry about joining her collection. Besides, there are much more dangerous forces in this room."**

 

**Kronos looked over at a Laistrygonian giant who was munching noisily on some french fries. Kronos waved his hand and the giant froze. A french fry hung suspended in midair halfway between his hand and his mouth.**

 

**"Why turn them to stone," Kronos asked, "when you can freeze time itself?"**

 

The gods shuddered.

 

**His golden eyes bored into Ethan's face. "Now, tell me one more thing. What happened last night on the Williamsburg Bridge?"**

 

**Ethan trembled. Beads of perspiration were popping up on his forehead. "I . . . I don't know, sir."**

 

**"Yes,  you  do."  Kronos  rose  from  his  seat.  "When  you  attacked  Jackson,  something  happened. Something was not quite right. The girl, Annabeth, jumped in your way."**

 

**"She wanted to save him."**

**"But he is invulnerable," Kronos said quietly. "You saw that yourself."**

 

**"I can't explain it. Maybe she forgot."**

 

**"She forgot," Kronos said. "Yes, that must've been it.** **_Oh dear, I forgot my friend is invulnerable and took a knife for him. Oops_ ** **. Tell me, Ethan, where were you aiming when you stabbed at Jackson?"**

 

**Ethan frowned. He clasped his hand as if he were holding a blade, and mimed a thrust. "I'm not sure, sir. It all happened so fast. I wasn't aiming for any spot in particular.'**

 

**Kronos's fingers tapped the blade of his scythe. "I see," he said in a chilly tone. "If your memory improves, I will expect—"**

 

**Suddenly the Titan lord winced. The giant in the corner unfroze and the french fry fell into his mouth.**

 

**Kronos stumbled backward and sank into his throne. "My lord?" Ethan started forward.**

 

**"I—" The voice was weak, but just for a moment it was Luke's. Then Kronos's expression   hardened.**

 

**He raised his hand and flexed his fingers slowly as if forcing them to obey.**

 

**"It is nothing," he said, his voice steely and cold again. "A minor discomfort."**

 

**Ethan moistened his lips. "He's still fighting you, isn't he? Luke—"**

 

Hermes looked up. "He's fighting?"

 

**"Nonsense," Kronos spat. "Repeat that lie, and I will cut out your tongue. The boy's soul has been crushed. I am simply adjusting to the limits of this form. It requires rest. It is annoying, but no more than  a temporary inconvenience."**

 

**"As . . . as you say, my lord."**

 

**"You!" Kronos pointed his scythe at a dracaena with green armor and a green crown. "Queen Sess, is it?"**

 

**"Yesssss, my lord."**

 

**"Is our little surprise ready to be unleashed?"**

 

**The dracaena queen bared her fangs. "Oh, yessss, my lord. Quite a lovely sssssurprissse."**

 

**"Excellent," Kronos said. "Tell my brother Hyperion to move our main force south into Central  Park. The half-bloods will be in such disarray they will not be able to defend themselves. Go now, Ethan. Work on improving your memory. We will talk again when we have taken Manhattan."**

 

**Ethan bowed, and my dreams shifted one last time. I saw the Big House at camp, but it was a different era. The house was painted red instead of blue. The campers down at the volleyball pit had early '90s hairstyles, which were probably good for keeping monsters away.**

**Chiron stood by the porch, talking to Hermes and a woman holding a baby. Chiron's hair was shorter and darker. Hermes wore his usual jogging suit with his winged high-tops. The woman was tall and  pretty. She had blond hair, shining eyes and a friendly smile. The baby in her arms squirmed in his blue blanket like Camp Half-Blood was the last place he wanted to be.**

 

**"It's an honor to have you here," Chiron told the woman, though he sounded nervous. "It's been a long time since a mortal was allowed at camp."**

 

**"Don't encourage her," Hermes grumbled. "May, you** **_can't_ ** **do this."**

 

Hermes almost started crying.

 

**With a shock, I realized I was seeing May Castellan. She looked nothing like the old woman I'd  met.**

 

**She seemed full of life—the kind of person who could smile and make everyone around her feel good. "Oh, don't worry so much," May said, rocking the baby. "You need an Oracle, don't you? The old one's been dead for, what, twenty years?"**

 

**"Longer," Chiron said gravely.**

 

**Hermes raised his arms in exasperation. "I didn't tell you that story so you could apply. It's dangerous. Chiron, tell her."**

 

**"It is," Chiron warned. "For many years, I have forbidden anyone from trying. We don't know exactly what's happened. Humanity seems to have lost the ability to host the Oracle."**

 

**"We've been through that," May said. "And I know I can do it. Hermes, this is my chance to do something good. I've been given the gift of sight for a reason."**

 

**I wanted to yell at May Castellan to stop. I knew what was about to happen. I finally understood how her life had been destroyed. But I couldn't move or speak.**

 

**Hermes looked more hurt than worried. "You couldn't marry if you became the Oracle," he complained. "You couldn't see** **_me_ ** **anymore."**

 

**May put her hand on his arm. "I can't have you forever, can I? You'll move on soon. You're immortal."**

 

**He started to protest, but she put her hand on his chest. "You know it's true! Don't try to spare my feelings. Besides, we have a wonderful child. I can still raise Luke if I'm the Oracle, right?"**

 

**Chiron coughed. "Yes, but in all fairness, I don't know how that will affect the spirit of the Oracle. A woman who has already borne a child—as far as I know, this has never been done before. If the spirit  does not take—"**

 

**"It will," May insisted.**

 

**_No_ ** **, I wanted to shout.** **_It won't._ **

 

**May Castellan kissed her baby and handed the bundle to Hermes. "I'll be right back." She gave them one last confident smile and climbed the steps.**

 

**Chiron and Hermes paced in silence. The baby squirmed.**

 

**A green glow lit the windows of the house. The campers stopped playing volleyball and stared up at the attic. A cold wind rushed through the strawberry fields.**

 

**Hermes must've felt it too. He cried, "No! NO!"**

 

**He shoved the baby into Chiron's arms and ran for the porch. Before he reached the door, the sunny afternoon was shattered by May Castellan's terrified scream.**

**I got up so fast I banged my head on somebody's shield. "Ow!"**

 

**"Sorry, Percy." Annabeth was standing over me. "I was just about to wake you."**

 

**I rubbed my head, trying to clear the disturbing visions. Suddenly a lot of things made sense to me: May Castellan had tried to become the Oracle. She hadn't known about Hades's curse preventing the spirit of Delphi from taking another host. Neither had Chiron or Hermes. They hadn't realized that by trying to take the job, May would be driven mad, plagued with fits in which her eyes would glow green and she would have shattered glimpses of her child's future.**

 

Hermes wimpered.

 

**"Percy?" Annabeth asked. "What's wrong?"**

 

**"Nothing," I lied. "What . . . what are you doing in armor? You should be resting."**

 

**"Oh, I'm fine," she said, though she still looked pale. She was barely moving her right arm. "That nectar and ambrosia fixed me up."**

 

**"Uh-huh. You can't seriously go out and fight."**

 

**She offered me her good hand and helped me up. My head was pounding. Outside, the sky was purple and red.**

 

**"You're going to need every person you have," she said. "I just looked in my shield. There's an army—"**

 

**"Heading south into Central Park," I said. "Yeah, I know."**

 

**I told her part of my dreams. I left out the vision of May Castellan, because it was too disturbing to talk about. I also left out Ethan's speculation about Luke fighting Kronos inside his body. I didn't want to get Annabeth's hopes up.**

 

**"Do you think Ethan suspects about your weak spot?" she asked.**

 

**"I don't know," I admitted. "He didn't tell Kronos anything, but if he figures it out—"**

 

**"We can't let him."**

 

**"I'll bonk him on the head harder next time," I suggested. "Any idea what surprise Kronos was talking about?"**

 

**She shook her head. "I didn't see anything in the shield, but I don't like surprises."**

 

**"Agreed."**

 

**"So," she said, "are you going to argue about me coming along?"**

 

**"Nah. You'd just beat me up."**

 

**She managed a laugh, which was good to hear. I grabbed my sword, and we went to rally the troops.**

**Thalia and the head counselors were waiting for us at the Reservoir. The lights of the city were blinking on at twilight. I guess a lot of them were on automatic timers. Streetlamps glowed around the shore of the lake, making the water and trees look even spookier.**

 

**"They're coming," Thalia confirmed, pointing north with a silver arrow. "One of my scouts just reported they've crossed the Harlem River. There was no way to hold them back. The army . . ." She shrugged. "It's huge."**

 

**"We'll hold them at the park," I said. "Grover, you ready?"**

 

**He nodded. "As ready as we'll ever be. If my nature spirits can stop them anywhere, this is the place."**

 

**"Yes, we will!" said another voice. A very old, fat satyr pushed through the crowd, stumbling over his own spear. He was dressed in wood-bark armor that only covered half of his belly. "Leneus?" I said.**

 

**"Don't act so surprised," he huffed. "I am a leader of the Council, and you did tell me to find  Grover. Well, I found him, and I'm not going to let a mere outcast lead the satyrs without my help!"**

 

**Behind Leneus's back, Grover made gagging motions, but the old satyr grinned like he was the savior of the day. "Never fear! We'll show those Titans!"**

 

**I didn't know whether to laugh or be angry, but I managed to keep a straight face. "Um . . . yeah. Well, Grover, you won't be alone. Annabeth and the Athena cabin will make their stand here. And me, and . . . Thalia?"**

 

**She patted me on the shoulder. "Say no more. The Hunters are ready."**

 

**I looked at the other counselors. "That leaves the rest of you with a job just as important. You have to guard the other entrances to Manhattan. You know how tricky Kronos is. He'll hope to distract us with this big army and sneak another force in somewhere else. It's up to you to make sure that doesn't happen. Has each cabin chosen a bridge or tunnel?"**

 

**The counselors nodded grimly.**

 

**"Then let's do it," I said. "Good hunting, everybody!"**

**We heard the army before we saw it.**

 

**The noise was like a cannon barrage combined with a football stadium crowd—like every Patriots fan in New England was charging us with bazookas.**

 

**At the north end of the reservoir, the enemy vanguard broke through the woods—a warrior in  golden armor leading a battalion of Laistrygonian giants with huge bronze axes. Hundreds of other monsters poured out behind them.**

 

**"Positions!" Annabeth yelled.**

 

**Her cabinmates scrambled. The idea was to make the enemy army break around the reservoir. To get to us, they'd have to follow the trails, which meant they'd be marching in narrow columns on either side  of the water.**

 

**At first, the plan seemed to work. The enemy divided and streamed toward us along the shore. When they were halfway across, our defenses kicked in. The jogging trail erupted in Greek fire, incinerating many of the monsters instantly. Others flailed around, engulfed in green flames. Athena campers threw grappling hooks around the largest giants and pulled them to the ground.**

 

**In the woods on the right, the Hunters sent a volley of silver arrows into the enemy line, destroying twenty or thirty dracaenae, but more marched behind them. A bolt of lightning crackled out of the sky and fried a Laistrygonian giant to ashes, and I knew Thalia must be doing her daughter of Zeus thing.**

 

**Grover raised his pipes and played a quick tune. A roar went up from the woods on both sides as every tree, rock, and bush seemed to sprout a spirit. Dryads and satyrs raised their clubs and charged. The trees wrapped around the monsters, strangling them. Grass grew around the feet of the enemy archers. Stones flew up and hit dracaenae in the faces.**

 

The gods cheered.

 

**The enemy slogged forward. Giants smashed through the trees, and naiads faded as their life sources were destroyed. Hellhounds lunged at the timber wolves, knocking them aside. Enemy archers returned fire, and a Hunter fell from a high branch.**

 

**"Percy!" Annabeth grabbed my arm and pointed at the reservoir. The Titan in the gold armor wasn't waiting for his forces to advance around the sides. He was charging toward us, walking straight over the top of the lake.**

 

**A Greek firebomb exploded right on top of him, but he raised his palm and sucked the flames out of the air.**

 

**"Hyperion," Annabeth said in awe. "The lord of light. Titan of the east."**

 

**"Bad?" I guessed.**

 

**"Next to Atlas, he's the greatest Titan warrior. In the old days, four Titans controlled the four corners of the world. Hyperion was the east—the most powerful. He was the father of Helios, the first sun god."**

 

**"I'll keep him busy," I promised. "Percy, even you can't—"**

 

**"Just keep our forces together."**

 

**We'd set up at the reservoir for good reason. I concentrated on the water and felt its power surging through me.**

 

**I advanced toward Hyperion, running over the top of the water.** **_Yeah, buddy. Two can play that game._ **

 

Poseidon's hair started turning white.

 

**Twenty feet away, Hyperion raised his sword. His eyes were just like I'd seen in my dream—as gold as Kronos's but brighter, like miniature suns.**

 

**"The sea god's brat," he mused. "You're the one who trapped Atlas beneath the sky again?"**

 

**"It wasn't hard," I said. "You Titans are about as bright as my gym socks."**

 

Despite the tension, Apollo, Hermes, and some of the Demigods laughed.

 

**Hyperion snarled. "You want bright?"**

 

**His body ignited in a column of light and heat. I looked away, but I was still blinded.**

 

**Instinctively I raised Riptide—just in time. Hyperion's blade slammed against mine. The shock wave sent a ten-foot ring of water across the surface of the lake.**

 

**My eyes still burned. I had to shut off his light.**

**I concentrated on the tidal wave and forced it to reverse. Just before impact, I jumped upward on a jet of water.**

 

**"AHHHHH!" The waves smashed into Hyperion and he went under, his light extinguished.**

 

**I landed on the lake's surface just as Hyperion struggled to his feet. His golden armor was dripping wet. His eyes no longer blazed, but they still looked murderous.**

 

**"You will burn, Jackson!" he roared.**

 

**Our swords met again and the air charged with ozone.**

 

**The battle still raged around us. On the right flank, Annabeth was leading an assault with her siblings. On the left flank, Grover and his nature spirits were regrouping, entangling the enemies with bushes and weeds.**

 

**"Enough games," Hyperion told me. "We fight on land."**

 

**I was about to make some clever comment, like "No," when the Titan yelled. A wall of force  slammed me through the air—just like the trick Kronos had pulled on the bridge. I sailed backward about three hundred yards and smashed into the ground. If it hadn't been for my new invulnerability, I would've broken every bone in my body.**

 

**I got to my feet, groaning. "I really hate it when you Titans do that." Hyperion closed on me with blinding speed.**

 

Poseidon whimpered. "So do I."

 

**I concentrated on the water, drawing strength from it.**

 

**Hyperion attacked. He was powerful and fast, but he couldn't seem to land a blow. The ground around his feet kept erupting in flames, but I kept dousing it just as quickly.**

 

**"Stop it!" the Titan roared. "Stop that wind!"**

 

Poseidon gaped as his son blushed.

 

**I wasn't sure what he meant. I was too busy fighting.**

 

**Hyperion stumbled like he was being pushed away. Water sprayed his face, stinging his eyes. The wind picked up, and Hyperion staggered backward.**

 

**"Percy!" Grover called in amazement. "How are you doing that?"**

 

**Doing what? I thought.**

 

**Then I looked down, and I realized I was standing in the middle of my own personal hurricane. Clouds of water vapor swirled around me, winds so powerful they buffeted Hyperion and flattened the grass in a twenty-yard radius. Enemy warriors threw javelins at me, but the storm knocked them aside.**

 

**"Sweet," I muttered. "But a little more!"**

 

**Lightning flickered around me. The clouds darkened and the rain swirled faster. I closed in on Hyperion and blew him off his feet.**

 

**"Percy!" Grover called again. "Bring him over here!"**

 

**I slashed and jabbed, letting my reflexes take over, Hyperion could barely defend himself. His eyes kept trying to ignite, but the hurricane quenched his flames.**

 

**I couldn't keep up a storm like this forever, though. I could feel my powers weakening. With one last effort, I propelled Hyperion across the field, straight to where Grover was waiting.**

 

**"I will not be toyed with!" Hyperion bellowed.**

 

**He managed to get to his feet again, but Grover put his reed pipes to his lips and began to play. Leneus joined him. Around the grove, every satyr took up the song—an eerie melody, like a creek  flowing over stones. The ground erupted at Hyperion's feet. Gnarled roots wrapped around his legs.**

 

**"What's this?" he protested. He tried to shake off the roots, but he was still weak. The roots thickened until he looked like he was wearing wooden boots.**

 

**"Stop this!" he shouted. "Your woodland magic is no match for a Titan!"**

 

**But the more he struggled, the faster the roots grew. They curled about his body, thickening and hardening into bark. His golden armor melted into the wood, becoming part of a large trunk.**

 

**The music continued. Hyperion's forces backed up in astonishment as their leader was absorbed. He stretched out his arms and they became branches, from which smaller branches shot out and grew leaves. The tree grew taller and thicker, until only the Titan's face was visible in the middle of the trunk.**

 

**"You cannot imprison me!" he bellowed. "I am Hyperion! I am—" The bark closed over his face.**

 

**Grover took his pipes from his mouth. "You are a very nice maple tree."**

 

The gods started cheering and laughing at Grover's comment. Thalia pumped a fist in the air, and the other Demigods were all celebrating Grover's victory.

 

**Several of the other satyrs passed out from exhaustion, but they'd done their job well. The Titan lord was completely encased in an enormous maple. The trunk was at least twenty feet in diameter, with branches as tall as any in the park. The tree might've stood there for centuries.**

**The Titan's army started to retreat. A cheer went up from the Athena cabin, but our victory was short-lived.**

 

**Because just then Kronos unleashed his surprise.**

**"REEEEET!"**

**The squeal echoed through upper Manhattan. Demigods and monsters alike froze in terror. Grover shot me a panicked look. "Why does that sound like . . . It can't be!"**

 

**I knew what he was thinking. Two years ago we'd gotten a "gift" from Pan—a huge boar that carried us across the Southwest (after it tried to kill us). The boar had a similar squeal, but what we were hearing now seemed higher pitched, shriller, almost like . . . like if the boar had an angry girlfriend.**

 

**"REEEEEET!" A huge pink creature soared over the reservoir—a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade nightmare blimp with wings.**

 

**"A sow!" Annabeth cried. "Take cover!"**

 

**The demigods scattered as the winged lady pig swooped down. Her wings were pink like a  flamingo's, which matched her skin beautifully, but it was hard to think of her as cute when her hooves slammed into the ground, barely missing one of Annabeth's siblings. The pig stomped around and tore down half an acre of trees, belching a cloud of noxious gas. Then it took off again, circling around for another strike.**

 

**"Don't tell me that thing is from Greek mythology," I complained.**

 

**"Afraid so," Annabeth said. "The Clazmonian Sow. It terrorized Greek towns back in the day."**

 

**"Let me guess," I said. "Hercules beat it."**

 

**"Nope," Annabeth said. "As far as I know, no hero has ever beaten it." "Perfect," I muttered.**

 

**The Titan's army was recovering from its shock. I guess they realized the pig wasn't after them.**

 

**We only had seconds before they were ready to fight, and our forces were still in a panic. Every time the sow belched, Grover's nature spirits yelped and faded back into their trees.**

 

**"That pig has to go." I grabbed a grappling hook from one of Annabeth's siblings. "I'll take care of  it. You guys hold the rest of the enemy. Push them back!"**

 

**"But, Percy," Grover said, "what if we can't?"**

 

**I saw how tired he was. The magic had really drained him. Annabeth didn't look much better from fighting with a bad shoulder wound. I didn't know how the Hunters were doing, but the right flank of the enemy army was now between them and us.**

 

**I didn't want to leave my friends in such bad shape, but that sow was the biggest threat. It would destroy everything: buildings, trees, sleeping mortals. It had to be stopped.**

 

**"Retreat if you need to," I said. "Just slow them down. I'll be back as soon as I can."**

 

**Before I could change my mind, I swung the grappling hook like a lasso. When the sow came down for its next pass, I threw with all my strength. The hook wrapped around the base of the pig's wing. It squealed in rage and veered off, yanking the rope and me into the sky.**

**If you're heading downtown from Central Park, my advice is to take the subway. Flying pigs are faster, but way more dangerous.**

 

**The sow soared past the Plaza Hotel, straight into the canyon of Fifth Avenue. My brilliant plan was to climb the rope and get on the pig's back. Unfortunately I was too busy swinging around dodging streetlamps and the sides of buildings.**

 

**Another thing I learned: it's one thing to climb a rope in gym class. It's a completely different thing to climb a rope attached to a moving pig's wing while you're flying at a hundred miles an hour.**

 

**We zigzagged along several blocks and continued south on Park Avenue.**

 

**_Boss! Hey, boss!_ ** **Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Blackjack speeding along next to us, darting back and forth to avoid the pig's wings.**

 

**"Watch out!" I told him.**

 

**Hop on! Blackjack whinnied.  I can catch you . . . probably.**

 

**That wasn't very reassuring. Grand Central lay dead ahead. Above the main entrance stood the giant statue of Hermes, which I guess hadn't been activated because it was so high up. I was flying right toward him at the speed of demigod-smashing.**

 

**"Stay alert!" I told Blackjack. "I've got an idea."**

 

**_Oh, I hate your ideas._ **

 

"Gee. I wonder why," Annabeth commented sarcastically.

 

**I swung outward with all my might. Instead of smashing into the Hermes statue, I whipped around it, circling the rope under its arms. I thought this would tether the pig, but I'd underestimated the momentum of a thirty-ton sow in flight. Just as the pig wrenched the statue loose from its pedestal, I let go. Hermes went for a ride, taking my place as the pig's passenger, and I free-fell toward the street.**

 

**In that split second I thought about the days when my mom used to work at the Grand Central candy shop. I thought how bad it would be if I ended up as a grease spot on the pavement.**

 

**Then a shadow swooped under me, and thump—I was on Blackjack's back. It wasn't the most comfortable landing. In fact, when I yelled "OW!" my voice was an octave higher than usual.**

 

**_Sorry, boss,_ ** **Blackjack murmured.**

**"No problem," I squeaked. "Follow that pig!"**

 

**The porker had taken a right at East 42nd and was flying back toward Fifth Avenue. When it flew above the rooftops, I could see fires here and there around the city. It looked like my friends were  having a rough time. Kronos was attacking on several fronts. But at the moment, I had my own problems.**

 

**The Hermes statue was still on its leash. It kept bonking into buildings and spinning around. The pig swooped over an office building, and Hermes plowed into a water tower on the roof, blasting water and wood everywhere.**

 

**Then something occurred to me. "Get closer," I told Blackjack.**

 

**He whinnied in protest.**

 

**"Just within shouting distance," I said. "I need to talk to the statue."**

 

**_Now I'm sure you've lost it, boss,_ ** **Blackjack said, but he did what I asked. When I was close enough to see the statue's face clearly, I yelled, "Hello, Hermes! Command sequence: Daedalus Twenty-three. Kill Flying Pigs! Begin Activation!"**

 

Athena seemed to give Percy an appraising look, as if realizing that he was smarter then he seemed.

 

**Immediately the statue moved its legs. It seemed confused to find that it was no longer on top of Grand Central Terminal. It was, instead, being given a sky-ride on the end of a rope by a large winged sow. It smashed through the side of a brick building, which I think made it a little mad. It shook its head and began to climb the rope.**

 

**I glanced down at the street. We were coming up on the main public library, with the big marble lions flanking the steps. Suddenly I had a weird thought: Could stone statues be automatons too? It seemed like a long shot, but . . .**

 

Annabeth grinned at "Very good, Seaweed Brain."

 

**"Faster!" I told Blackjack. "Get in front of the pig, Taunt him!"**

 

**_Um, boss—_ **

 

**"Trust me," I said. "I can do this . . . probably."**

 

**_Oh, sure. Mock the horse._ **

 

**Blackjack burst through the air. He could fly pretty darned fast when he wanted to. He got in front of the pig, which now had a metal Hermes on its back.**

 

**Blackjack whinnied,** **_You smell like ham!_ ** **He kicked the pig in the snout with his back hooves and went into a steep dive. The pig screamed in rage and followed.**

 

**We barreled straight for the front steps of the library. Blackjack slowed down just enough for me to hop off, then he kept flying toward the main doors.**

 

**I yelled out, "Lions! Command sequence: Daedalus Twenty-three. Kill Flying Pigs! Begin Activation!"**

 

**The  lions stood  up  and  looked at  me.  They  probably  thought I  was  teasing them.  But  just then:** **_"REEEEEET!"_ **

**The massive pink pork monster landed with a thud, cracking the sidewalk. The lions stared at it, not believing their luck, and pounced. At the same time, a very beat-up Hermes statue leaped onto the pig's head and started banging it mercilessly with a caduceus. Those lions had some nasty claws.**

 

Apollo and Hermes were laughing their assess off.

 

**I drew Riptide, but there wasn't much for me to do. The pig disintegrated before my eyes. I almost felt sorry for it. I hoped it got to meet the boar of its dreams down in Tartarus.**

 

**When the monster had completely turned to dust, the lions and the Hermes statue looked around in confusion.**

 

**"You can defend Manhattan now," I told them, but they didn't seem to hear. They went charging down Park Avenue, and I imagined they would keep looking for flying pigs until someone deactivated them.**

 

**_Hey, boss_ ** **, said Blackjack.** **_Can we take a donut break?_ **

 

**I wiped the sweat off my brow. "I wish, big guy, but the fight's still going on."**

 

**In fact, I could hear it getting closer. My friends needed help. I jumped on Blackjack, and we flew north toward the sound of explosions.**

 

 

Annabeth closed the book and held it up. "Who wants to read now?"

 

"I will," Artemis walked to her and grabbed it.

 

She walked back to her throne and opened it up.

 

"Chiron Throws a Party."


End file.
